Colonel
Every Colonel since 1880 — 1,250 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Colonel Sanders Businessperson · 1890–1980
- Colonel Tom Parker Businessperson · 1909–1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).