Kolbe
Boy name · #1939 in 2025 · Very rare
Kolbe is currently the #1939 boy name in the United States — 80 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2055, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,500 boys born in 2025 was named Kolbe.
The 36-year story
Kolbe first appears in the Social Security records in 1989, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 102 boys were named Kolbe — good for #1287 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.
Babies named Kolbe per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kolbe against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kolbe in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kolbe is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kolbe will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kolbe is most common
State-level data for Kolbe is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Kolbe
Statistically, parents drawn to Kolbe tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kobi, Kobe, Kayne, Kole, and Haris.
KobiKobeKayneKoleHarisKeoniKaineKeyon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kolbe | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 80 | #1932 |
| 2024 | 82 | #1921 |
| 2023 | 85 | #1868 |
| 2022 | 67 | #2168 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2225 |
| 2020 | 59 | #2292 |
| 2019 | 65 | #2170 |
| 2018 | 52 | #2472 |
| 2017 | 46 | #2672 |
| 2016 | 52 | #2437 |
| 2015 | 69 | #2055 |
| 2014 | 61 | #2205 |
| 2013 | 49 | #2492 |
| 2012 | 50 | #2488 |
| 2011 | 43 | #2748 |
| 2010 | 59 | #2212 |
| 2009 | 56 | #2320 |
| 2008 | 45 | #2717 |
| 2007 | 57 | #2281 |
| 2006 | 38 | #2932 |
| 2005 | 35 | #2960 |
| 2004 | 52 | #2208 |
| 2003 | 78 | #1611 |
| 2002 | 80 | #1543 |
| 2001 | 102 | #1287 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kolbe a popular boy name?
Kolbe ranked #1939 among boys in 2025 with 80 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2055.
When was the name Kolbe most popular?
Kolbe peaked in 2001, when 102 American boys received the name (ranked #1287 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kolbe?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,500 newborn American boys was named Kolbe. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
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.