UK girl's name
Cosette
A French feminine name of diminutive origin meaning "little thing".
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.
Cosette is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Cosette popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 9 births.
This profile covers 29 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2014 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.
The latest count is about 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 29 living people in the UK are called Cosette. 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
- • Cosette ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 9 girls were registered as Cosette.
- • About 29 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cosette as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2019
9 births
Estimated living
29
2026
Meaning
What does Cosette mean?
The name Cosette has its origins in the French language and culture, with its earliest known usage dating back to the 19th century. It is believed to be a diminutive form of the name Nicolette, which itself derives from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people."
Cosette gained widespread recognition and popularity after being featured as the name of one of the main characters in Victor Hugo's acclaimed novel "Les Misérables," published in 1862. In the novel, Cosette is the adopted daughter of the protagonist, Jean Valjean, and her story is central to the narrative's exploration of themes such as compassion, redemption, and social injustice.
While the name Cosette does not have a particularly long or well-documented history prior to its appearance in "Les Misérables," it has since become a beloved and enduring choice for baby names, particularly in French-speaking regions and among those with an appreciation for literary references.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Cosette was Cosette Harcourt, a French artist born in 1884 and known for her paintings and illustrations. Another notable figure was Cosette Thomas, an American writer and journalist born in 1925, who authored several books on travel and culture.
In the world of entertainment, Cosette Comegys was an American actress born in 1903, best known for her roles in silent films during the 1920s. More recently, Cosette Pavlovic was a Serbian-born Australian actress born in 1940, who appeared in numerous television shows and films throughout her career.
Another individual of note is Cosette Annarummo, an Italian-American artist and sculptor born in 1925, whose works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Her artistic contributions have helped to further the legacy and recognition of the name Cosette.
While the name Cosette may not have a particularly ancient or mythological origin, its association with Victor Hugo's literary masterpiece has imbued it with a sense of cultural significance and enduring appeal, ensuring its continued use and appreciation across generations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cosette over time
The chart below shows babies named Cosette registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 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 Cosette, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cosette by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cosette 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 | #4739 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3292 | 21 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Cosette
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Cosette: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cosette in the UK right now?
In 2024, Cosette was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Cosette most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 9 babies registered as Cosette in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cosette?
A French feminine name of diminutive origin meaning "little thing".
How many people are called Cosette in the UK?
A total of 29 babies have been registered as Cosette across the 5 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.