UK boy's name
Coleby
An English masculine name meaning "dark, shining town".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Coleby is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Coleby popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 7 births.
This profile covers 33 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2002 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Coleby is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 33 living people in the UK are called Coleby. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Coleby ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 7 boys were registered as Coleby.
- • About 33 living people in the UK are estimated to have Coleby as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2921
2024
Births in 2024
7
Latest year
Peak year
2024
7 births
Estimated living
33
2026
Meaning
What does Coleby mean?
The given name Coleby is an English name that has its origins in the Old English language. The name is derived from the Old English words "col" meaning "coal" and "by" meaning "a village or town." Thus, the name Coleby can be interpreted to mean "a person from the coal town or village."
The earliest recorded instances of the name Coleby date back to the 11th century in England. It is believed that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived in or were associated with a village or town that had a significant coal mining industry.
Historically, the name Coleby has been relatively uncommon, and there are few notable figures from the past who bore this name. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Coleby was Sir John Coleby, a 14th-century English landowner and knight who lived from around 1320 to 1395.
Another notable figure with the name Coleby was William Coleby, a 16th-century English clergyman and theologian who lived from approximately 1510 to 1580. He was known for his writings on religious matters and served as a rector in various parishes in England.
In the 17th century, there was a Coleby Seymour, who was born in 1632 and died in 1705. He was an English landowner and member of the gentry class, known for his involvement in local politics and community affairs.
Moving into the 18th century, a notable figure with the name Coleby was Samuel Coleby, a British merchant and trader who lived from 1725 to 1795. He was involved in the lucrative trade between Britain and its colonies, and his name is mentioned in various historical records related to maritime commerce.
Lastly, in the 19th century, there was a Coleby Hawkins, born in 1812 and died in 1895. He was an English architect and surveyor who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings and infrastructure projects during the Victorian era in Britain.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the given name Coleby. While the name has remained relatively uncommon, it has persisted over the centuries, carrying its connection to the coal towns and villages of England's past.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Coleby over time
The chart below shows babies named Coleby registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Coleby, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Coleby by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Coleby was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3765 | 10 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3853 | 13 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3244 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Coleby
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Coleby: questions and answers
How popular is the name Coleby in the UK right now?
In 2024, Coleby was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Coleby most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 7 babies registered as Coleby in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Coleby?
An English masculine name meaning "dark, shining town".
How many people are called Coleby in the UK?
A total of 33 babies have been registered as Coleby across the 8 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.