An uncommon German pick — distinctive and rare.
A surname.
Kolbe is a boy's and girl's baby name of German origin, primarily known as a surname honoring Saint Maximilian Kolbe, the Polish Franciscan friar who gave his life for another prisoner at Auschwitz in 1941. His canonization in 1982 made Kolbe a name of profound Catholic significance.
Parents who choose Kolbe are often making a quiet statement of faith and heroism — it is a name that carries extraordinary moral weight in a deceptively simple package.
Kolbe climbed 288 spots in the last 20 years — from #2226 to #1938.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 354 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 546 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 611 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 224 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 8 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 81 | #1938 |
| 2023 | 85 | #1871 |
| 2022 | 66 | #2206 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2239 |
| 2020 | 59 | #2309 |
| 2019 | 65 | #2181 |
| 2018 | 52 | #2492 |
| 2017 | 46 | #2697 |
| 2016 | 52 | #2455 |
| 2015 | 69 | #2063 |
| 2014 | 61 | #2221 |
| 2013 | 49 | #2504 |
| 2012 | 50 | #2507 |
| 2011 | 43 | #2774 |
| 2010 | 59 | #2226 |
| 2009 | 56 | #2336 |
| 2008 | 45 | #2738 |
| 2007 | 57 | #2291 |
| 2006 | 38 | #2955 |
| 2005 | 35 | #2991 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Kolbe has also been given to 58 girls in the U.S. since 1998.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1989–2024) · Methodology