NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Colt

Young male horse or foal.

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.

Colt is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Colt popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1460, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 21 births.

This profile covers 239 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.

The latest count is about 86% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 276 living people in the UK are called Colt. 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

  • Colt ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 21 boys were registered as Colt.
  • Colt ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2024.
  • About 276 living people in the UK are estimated to have Colt as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1460

2024

Births in 2024

18

Latest year

Peak year

2021

21 births

Estimated living

276

2026

Meaning

What does Colt mean?

The name Colt has its origins in Old English, derived from the word "colt," which means a young male horse. This name's history can be traced back to Anglo-Saxon England, where it was likely used as a nickname or descriptor before becoming a formal given name.

Colt's association with horses and equestrian culture is evident in its etymology. In medieval times, the name was sometimes used to refer to young, spirited individuals, drawing a parallel between their energetic nature and that of a young horse.

One of the earliest recorded uses of Colt as a given name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England completed in 1086 AD. This historical document mentions a landowner named Colt, indicating the name's usage during the Norman period.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Colt. One of the most famous was Samuel Colt (1814-1862), the American inventor and industrialist who revolutionized firearms with his design of the Colt revolver. His innovations played a significant role in the expansion of the American West.

Another prominent figure was Colt Kipling (1892-1919), a Canadian fighter pilot and Victoria Cross recipient during World War I. He was recognized for his exceptional bravery and skill in aerial combat against German forces.

In the realm of sports, Colt McCoy (born 1986) is a former NFL quarterback who played for several teams, including the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins (now known as the Commanders).

Literature also features individuals with the name Colt, such as Colt Seavers, a fictional character from the popular Western novel series "The Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry.

Colt Cabana (born 1980) is a notable professional wrestler and podcaster, known for his work in independent wrestling promotions and his long-running podcast, "The Art of Wrestling."

While the name Colt has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, its equestrian origins and connections to notable figures across various fields have contributed to its enduring presence and unique character.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Colt over time

The chart below shows babies named Colt registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Colt, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 21 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Colt
05111621199620102024

Decades

Colt by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Colt 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 #1592 80 5
2010s #2326 111 10
2000s #2774 36 7
1990s #2430 12 3

Geography

Where Colt is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Colt. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Colt ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #339 in 2024.

Northern Ireland
4
Scotland
4

Across the UK

Colt in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#614 in 2023

8 years of NRS records, 35 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#339 in 2024

1 years of NISRA records, 4 total registered

Related

Names similar to Colt

FAQ

Colt: questions and answers

How popular is the name Colt in the UK right now?

In 2024, Colt was ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.

When was Colt most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 21 babies registered as Colt in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Colt?

Young male horse or foal.

How many people are called Colt in the UK?

A total of 239 babies have been registered as Colt across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 35 more in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Colt most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Colt ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #339 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.