Total births
2,029
Unisex name · since 1881
Coley
Coley has 2,029 recorded births since 1881 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1993 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9914
- among boys today
- 2,029
- born since 1881
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Coley is the #9914 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 2,029 recorded since 1881.
Social Security Administration records show Coley recorded 2,029 times among boys since 1881, holding rank #9914 nationally today, ahead of 31% of boys, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #9914 among boys today
- 2,029 born since 1881
- 1970s peak decade
- 31% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Coley is currently the #9914 unisex name in America, more common than 31% of boys - 2,029 born since 1881, peaking in the 1970s.
- #9914
- among boys today
- 2,029
- born since 1881
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Coley vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9914
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 31% of names given to boys today.
1970s
Peak decade
11% of everyone ever named Coley was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
37 babies were named Coley in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Coley compares
2,029 Top 21% higher than 79% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Coley's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Coley | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,029 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 37 | 23 | 22,252 |
Coley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Coley's full recorded timeline at 1960, 55% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 45% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1881, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1993 peak of 37 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Coley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#9,914
Active since
1881
Coley popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1993)
- 37
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Coley popularity over time - girls
348 total births recorded since 1976 (Coley as girls' name)
Coley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Coley's strongest decade.
233 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 11% of all-time use.
Coley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 17
1880s
17 births
- 1890s 38
1890s
38 births
- 1900s 42
1900s
42 births
- 1910s
1910s
166 births
- 1920s
1920s
154 births
- 1930s
1930s
158 births
- 1940s
1940s
176 births
- 1950s
1950s
159 births
- 1960s
1960s
168 births
- 1970s
1970s
233 births
- 1980s
1980s
182 births
- 1990s
1990s
217 births
- 2000s
2000s
174 births
- 2010s
2010s
101 births
- 2020s 44
2020s
44 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 233 births (11% of all-time use).
How Coley compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Coley's total volume
Coley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Coley by state
Where Coley concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | South Carolina | | 103 | 5.1% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 56 | 2.8% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 52 | 2.6% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 36 | 1.8% |
| #5 | Texas | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 5 | 0.2% |
South Carolina share of Coley's total US births 5.1%
Even split
103 of 2,029 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Coley? ▼
2,029 babies have been named Coley since 1881. It currently ranks #9914 among boys. The peak year was 1993 with 37 births.
When was Coley most popular? ▼
Coley was most popular in the 1970s decade with 233 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
Where is Coley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Coley are South Carolina (103 births), North Carolina (56 births), Georgia (52 births).
Is Coley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Coley is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,029 births, and as a girl's name it has 348 births.
How long has the name Coley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Coley since 1881 -- 145 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Coley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cole, Colton, Colin, Collin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Coley's data
- Coley's decade-level peak was the 1970s (233 total births); usage has since declined to 44 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- South Carolina records the most Coleys (103 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. South Carolina names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Coley
Nearby Names Like Coley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Coley
Cole Boy
#163 154,093 births
Colton Boy
#98 151,965 births
Colin Boy
#335 133,706 births
Collin Boy
#490 81,437 births
Colby Boy
#583 53,971 births
Compare Coley side by side: Coley vs Cole Coley vs Colton Coley vs Colin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Coley
Jule #9913
1,408 births · Peak 1922
Eustace #9915
705 births · Peak 1921
Theadore #9912
4,005 births · Peak 1927
Caswell #9916
333 births · Peak 1923
Sylvanus #9911
470 births · Peak 1915
Douglass #9917
5,769 births · Peak 1970
Starling #9910
1,001 births · Peak 1920
Osborn #9918
603 births · Peak 1923
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Coley: #9914 Unisex Name - 2,029 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/coley. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Coley draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.