Colby
Girl name · #2834 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
In 2025, 60 baby girls were named Colby, placing it at #2834 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3478, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 girls born in 2025 was named Colby.
Babies named Colby per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 75-year story
Colby first appears in the Social Security records in 1950, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1992, when 155 girls were named Colby — good for #1138 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Colby against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Colby in class?
Colby scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Colby is most common
Geography matters for names, and Colby is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Colbys were CA (5), MN (5), OR (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Colby
Statistically, parents drawn to Colby tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kolby, Karly, Carley, Kirby, and Codi.
KolbyKarlyCarleyKirbyCodiDarbyKaseyCarli
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Colby | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2822 |
| 2024 | 49 | #3225 |
| 2023 | 47 | #3386 |
| 2022 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2958 |
| 2020 | 45 | #3399 |
| 2019 | 48 | #3272 |
| 2018 | 42 | #3614 |
| 2017 | 47 | #3346 |
| 2016 | 37 | #3996 |
| 2015 | 45 | #3478 |
| 2014 | 52 | #3137 |
| 2013 | 33 | #4336 |
| 2012 | 48 | #3364 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2989 |
| 2010 | 66 | #2691 |
| 2009 | 72 | #2568 |
| 2008 | 70 | #2630 |
| 2007 | 68 | #2684 |
| 2006 | 44 | #3564 |
| 2005 | 54 | #2969 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2396 |
| 2003 | 85 | #2084 |
| 2002 | 119 | #1564 |
| 2001 | 120 | #1540 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Colby a popular girl name?
Colby ranked #2834 among girls in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3478.
When was the name Colby most popular?
Colby peaked in 1992, when 155 American girls received the name (ranked #1138 that year). Since 1992 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Colby?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American girls was named Colby. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.