Club or mace; charcoal burner
Kolbe is a surname-turned-first name with two distinct etymological paths. In its Germanic form, it likely originated as an occupational name for a charcoal burner or a nickname for a stout person, derived from 'kolbe' meaning club. It is most famously associated with Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest who sacrificed his life at Auschwitz.
About 80 boys were named Kolbe in 2025.
Polish Catholic priest and martyr canonized as a saint
Icelandic professional footballer
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
