Fun Facts About the Name Kohl
- More than 1 thousand babies named Kohl: U.S. records list 1,759 babies given the name Kohl from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kohl Mean?
Kohl is a German surname, and as a first name it is normally a transferred use of that surname. The German surname Kohl means "cabbage," from Middle High German kōl or kōle, which came from Latin caulis, "stalk" or "cabbage." The surname could have been occupational, for a cabbage grower or seller; topographic, for someone who lived by a cabbage patch; or a house name. In modern German, Kohl is still the ordinary word for cabbage.
The Arabic word kohl, the dark powder used as eyeliner, is a separate word from Arabic kuḥl and is not the source of the German surname. The English surname Cole sounds the same in American English but generally has a different origin, from Old English col, "coal," or as a short form of Nicholas.
Kohl Name History & Origins
The German surname Kohl grew from the Middle High German common noun kōl, which named the cabbage vegetable. That noun goes back to Old High German kōl and ultimately Latin caulis. Surnames formed from everyday words became hereditary in German-speaking lands in the medieval and early modern periods. A person known for growing, selling, or otherwise dealing with cabbage could be called Kohl, and the same word could serve as a place name or house name. Because cabbage was a common crop, the same surname could arise in more than one place.
As a given name, Kohl belongs to the modern English-language practice of using surnames as first names. In German-speaking countries it is primarily a family name rather than a first name. The surname is familiar from Helmut Kohl, who was chancellor of West Germany from 1982 to 1990 and of reunified Germany from 1990 to 1998, but that is a surname use and does not establish a separate given-name tradition.
How Popular is the Name Kohl?
Kohl has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2001. Its best rank was #1,333 in 2001.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,507 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #8,031 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #5,808 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #6,019 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #4,316 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #5,855 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #3,853 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2018 | #5,677 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2017 | #3,935 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2016 | #3,842 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2015 | #3,334 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2014 | #3,425 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2013 | #3,305 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #3,756 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #3,402 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2010 | #2,765 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 2009 | #2,271 | 58 | 0.0029% |
| 2008 | #2,364 | 55 | 0.0027% |
| 2007 | #2,128 | 64 | 0.0031% |
| 2006 | #2,388 | 52 | 0.0025% |
| 2005 | #2,258 | 53 | 0.0027% |
| 2004 | #1,871 | 66 | 0.0033% |
| 2003 | #1,425 | 93 | 0.0047% |
| 2002 | #1,376 | 96 | 0.0049% |
| 2001 | #1,333 | 98 | 0.0050% |
| 2000 | #1,439 | 86 | 0.0044% |
| 1999 | #1,540 | 73 | 0.0038% |
| 1998 | #1,555 | 69 | 0.0036% |
| 1997 | #1,664 | 60 | 0.0032% |
| 1996 | #1,684 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 1995 | #1,572 | 60 | 0.0032% |
| 1994 | #1,460 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 1993 | #1,673 | 53 | 0.0027% |
| 1992 | #2,026 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1991 | #2,036 | 37 | 0.0018% |
| 1990 | #2,288 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1989 | #3,923 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #4,063 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,430 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #4,685 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #3,158 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1984 | #3,198 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1983 | #3,761 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #4,426 | 9 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Kohl Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Kohl's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kohl's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.