Cola

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Cola

Pronounced KOH-luh /ˈkoʊ.lə/Medium

Meaning: Cola reads as an affectionate short form from the Nicola or Colette family, names that trace back to Nicholas and the Greek for 'victory of the people'. In Italian, Cola is a well-known clipped form of Nicola. The route for any family is uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: Cola is an early-century short name, most likely a clip of Nicola or Colette, from the Nicholas family. It stayed rare, peaking around the mid nineteen-tens (said KOH-luh).

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Origin LowEnglish, Italian

MeaningCola reads as an affectionate short form from the Nicola or Colette family, names that trace back to Nicholas and the Greek for 'victory of the people'. In Italian, Cola is a well-known clipped form of Nicola. The route for any family is uncertain.

U.S. rank (1987)#10095 ↘ Falling

1987 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1916

Total births (all-time)≈ 259

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cola is an early-century short or pet name, most likely a clip of Nicola or Colette, both from Nicholas and the Greek for 'victory of the people'. In Italian, Cola is a familiar short form of Nicola, which anchors the name well before its accidental echo of a modern drink. The exact route for any family is uncertain.

It appears very thinly in American records in the early last century and reached its faint peak in the mid nineteen-tens. A girl given Cola then would belong to a great-grandmother generation today.

Did you know? In Italian, Cola is a long-standing short form of Nicola, so the name reads as a warm clipped form rather than the modern soft-drink word many first think of.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Cola — Early-century short form of Nicola/Colette; route uncertain.

Variations

ColahCollaColina

Nicknames

ColaLola

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cola…

Cora— a like short vintage girl's name

Lola— a similar warm two-beat pick

Nola— a like soft -ola ending name

Colette— the fuller name it may clip

Explore names like Cola

By themeuncertain rare vintage short

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cola mean?

Cola is an early-century short form, most likely of Nicola or Colette, from the Nicholas family; the route is uncertain, which we note.

How do you pronounce Cola?

It is said KOH-luh /ˈkoʊ.lə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Cola a boy or girl name?

Cola is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Cola?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its faint peak in the mid nineteen-tens.