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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kolbe

Kolbe

♀ Girl

Pronounced KOHL-bee /ˈkoʊl.bi/Medium

Meaning: A surname of German and Polish use, from a word related to Kolben, 'club' or 'mallet' — most likely an occupational or descriptive byname. As a given name it usually reads male, and we flag that lean. It is known above all through Saint Maximilian Kolbe.Low

In 30 seconds: A surname name, carried by Saint Maximilian Kolbe (said 'KOHL-bee'). It usually reads male, and we flag that lean.
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Origin MediumPolish, German
MeaningA surname of German and Polish use, from a word related to Kolben, 'club' or 'mallet' — most likely an occupational or descriptive byname. As a given name it usually reads male, and we flag that lean. It is known above all through Saint Maximilian Kolbe.
U.S. rank (2021)#11676 ↗ Rising
2021 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2001
Total births (all-time)≈ 58

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119982021

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

Kolbe is a German and Polish surname, probably from a word related to Kolben, 'club.' It is remembered above all for Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan who volunteered to die in place of a fellow prisoner at Auschwitz, and who was canonised in 1982. As a given name it is new, usually reads male, and we flag that lean honestly (said 'KOHL-bee').

For girls it appears only rarely in the U.S. Rare, surname-style, and serious.

Did you know? Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish friar who, at Auschwitz in 1941, offered his own life in place of another prisoner who had a wife and children. He was canonised in 1982, and the surname is carried today in his memory.
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Kolbe — German/Polish surname; Saint Maximilian Kolbe; boy-leaning

Variations

KolbyColbyKolbie

Nicknames

KolBeeKolbie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kolbe…

Colby— a like surname name in sound
Quinn— a like short unisex pick
Emerson— a like boy-leaning surname used for girls
Kelsey— a like surname name that went girl

Explore names like Kolbe

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kolbe mean?

Kolbe is a German and Polish surname, probably from a word related to 'club'; it is best known for Saint Maximilian Kolbe.

How do you pronounce Kolbe?

It's said KOHL-bee /ˈkoʊl.bi/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kolbe a boy or girl name?

Kolbe usually reads male as a given name; its use for girls is rare, and we flag that lean honestly.

How popular is Kolbe?

Kolbe is a very rare name for girls in the U.S.

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