Colby

♂ Boy

Pronounced KOHL-bee /ˈkoʊl.bi/High

Meaning: From an Old Norse-English place-name and surname, composed of Old Norse Koli (a personal name meaning 'coal-black') and by ('farm,' 'village' in Old Norse), meaning 'Koli's village' or 'the coal-black settlement'High

In 30 seconds: Colby is a rugged Old Norse-English place-name meaning 'coal village.' A classic American surname-name, it has the same cheese-and-cowboy energy that makes Western names irresistible.

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Origin HighOld Norse, Old English

MeaningFrom an Old Norse-English place-name and surname, composed of Old Norse Koli (a personal name meaning 'coal-black') and by ('farm,' 'village' in Old Norse), meaning 'Koli's village' or 'the coal-black settlement'

U.S. rank (2025)#615 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births455 boys (0.02% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2001

Total births (all-time)≈ 53,967

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Colby derives from an Old Norse place-name found in England, composed of Koli (an Old Norse byname meaning 'charcoal' or 'coal-black') and by ('farm' or 'village'). Multiple English villages bear this name, and it became a common English and American surname. As a given name it follows the well-established American pattern of converting place-names and surnames to first names.

Colby became popular as a given name in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, benefiting from the Western-flavored surname-name trend. It peaked in the early 2000s and has remained in steady use, ranking comfortably in the U.S. top 300 boys' names. The name carries an approachable, outdoorsy American character.

Did you know? Colby cheese — the mild, orange American cheese — was invented in 1885 in Colby, Wisconsin, a town named after Jesse Colby who settled there in 1845. The town, the cheese, and the given name all trace to the same Norse settlement-word, making Colby a name literally consumed by millions every day.

Overall data confidence 88%

Behind the Name — Colby — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

KolbyColbieKolbey

Nicknames

Cole

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Colby…

Colton— Old English coal-related surname-name with the same rugged American feel

Colt— one-syllable Western boys' name sharing the same frontier energy

Blake— one-syllable English surname-name with the same dark-meaning (black) etymology

Tucker— two-syllable American occupational surname-name with the same friendly, outdoorsy character

Frequently Asked

What does the name Colby mean?

Colby comes from an Old Norse place-name meaning 'Koli's village' or 'coal-black settlement,' from the Norse koli (coal) and by (farm/village).

How do you pronounce Colby?

It is said KOHL-bee — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Colby a boy or girl name?

Colby is used predominantly as a boys' name, occasionally for girls.

How popular is Colby?

Colby has ranked in the U.S. top 300 boys' names since the 1990s and remains a consistently popular American name.