Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1920

Colonel

Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Colonel
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1920
37 babies
All-time total
1,250
#4,449 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Colonel popularity over time

1,250 babies have been named Colonel since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1891Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 105 11 – #467
1890s 81 8 -23% #401
1900s 42 4 -48% #737
1910s 212 21 +405% #1,065
1920s 274 27 +29% #1,185
1930s 164 16 -40% #1,473
1940s 158 16 -4% #1,417
1950s 110 11 -30% #1,737
1960s 65 7 -41% #2,445
1970s 21 2 -68% #3,717
1980s 18 2 -14% #5,630
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Colonel

Colonel is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 1,250 American babies have been named Colonel. Its peak came in 1920, when 37 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Colonel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Colonel?

The median living Colonel is about 72 years old; half are between 63 and 80. An estimated 300 people named Colonel are alive in the United States today.

median 72 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Colonel year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 6 #5,656
1975 – –
1970 6 #4,332
1965 5 #4,006
1960 12 #2,445
1955 20 #1,737
1950 14 #2,042
1945 22 #1,417
1940 16 #1,748
1935 13 #2,052
1930 13 #2,202
1925 18 #1,885
1920 37 #1,185
1915 27 #1,272
1910 9 #1,132
1905 – –
1900 9 #917
1895 11 #646
1890 6 #911
1885 11 #583
1880 11 #578

Famous people named Colonel

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Colonel Sanders Colonel Sanders American entrepreneur (1890–1980) 19th century
  2. 2 Colonel Tom Parker Colonel Tom Parker Talent manager (1909–1997) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Colonel, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Colonel?

The median living Colonel is about 72 years old. Half of all living Colonels are between 63 and 80 years old.

How many people named Colonel are alive today?

An estimated 300 people named Colonel are alive in the United States, based on 1,250 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Colonel in 2025?

Colonel did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Colonel?

1,250 babies have been named Colonel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Colonel most popular?

Colonel peaked in 1920, when 37 newborns received the name.

Is Colonel a boy or girl name?

Colonel is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Colonel rising or falling?

Colonel has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Colonel?

Well-known people named Colonel include Colonel Sanders (businessperson), Colonel Tom Parker (businessperson).

Names like Colonel

Names that sound and feel close to Colonel: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Colonel with similar names → More names starting with C →