Coleman
Boy name · English · Irish · Latin
Meaninglittle dove · Irish
- US rank
- #1,310
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #360 in 1903
148 babies were named Coleman in the US in 2025. It has dropped 288 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Coleman you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Coleman
Coleman Hawkins
American jazz saxophonist (1904–1969)
Choose Coleman and your child shares a first name with Coleman Hawkins, an American jazz saxophonist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Coleman, like who?” Coleman Hawkins's Wikipedia article is available in 39 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Coleman Hawkins on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 11,547 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Coleman, 148 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Coleman would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryColeman has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Colemans, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1903, when it ranked #360. Today it's #1,310, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowColeman was 2.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 5,061 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 11,547.
- TrendColeman has slipped 288 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,310. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedColeman is most popular in South Carolina, where it ranks #438, followed by Kentucky (#625) and Alabama (#685). It's in the top 1,000 in 9 states.
- MeaningIn Irish, Coleman means “little dove”. Our records link it to English, Irish and Latin roots.
About the name Coleman
Coleman is a boy name of English, Irish and Latin origin meaning “little dove”. It has 7 letters and 3 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-man”. US birth records list Coleman for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1903, when it ranked #360 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,310, with 148 babies.
Origin:English namesIrish namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 135 | 7,427 boys |
| 1890s | 148 | 6,765 boys |
| 1900s | 175 | 5,728 boys |
| 1910s | 148 | 6,747 boys |
| 1920s | 109 | 9,211 boys |
| 1930s | 85 | 11,774 boys |
| 1940s | 61 | 16,377 boys |
| 1950s | 41 | 24,576 boys |
| 1960s | 30 | 32,895 boys |
| 1970s | 32 | 30,893 boys |
| 1980s | 69 | 14,499 boys |
| 1990s | 158 | 6,335 boys |
| 2000s | 175 | 5,699 boys |
| 2010s | 123 | 8,100 boys |
| 2020s | 100 | 10,027 boys |
Other spellings of Coleman
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Coleman
What does the name Coleman mean?
Coleman means “little dove” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Coleman?
Coleman has English, Irish, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Coleman a boy or girl name?
Coleman is a boy name.
How popular is the name Coleman?
Coleman ranked #1,310 for US boys in 2025, given to 148 babies. Its best year was 1903 (#360).