Boy · #2,277 in 2026

Cortez

Name: Popularity of the name Cortez in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Cortez, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#2,277

Peak Rank

#532 (1990)

Total Babies

11K

5-Yr Trend

-46%

1912

First Year

1990

Last Year

1912

Peak Year

#1981

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Cortez

American parents first put Cortez on the record books as a baby boy name in 1882, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 346 Cortezs were born — ranking #532 that year. About 24% of every Cortez on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Cortez ranks #2,277 for baby boys with 63 births, falling sharply (-46%). All told, over 11K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Cortez

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cortez is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Cortege
Kores
Cartels
Carters
Koreas
Curtice
Kardos
Cordis
Coras
Cardies
Kurtas
Cowardize

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cortez

What does the name Cortez mean?

Cortez is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1882. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Cortez in 2026?

In 2026, Cortez ranks #2,277 among boys' names in the U.S., with 63 babies given the name that year.

When was Cortez most popular?

Cortez reached its peak popularity in 1990, ranking #532 that year with 346 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Cortez most popular?

Cortez has historically been most popular in Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cortez.

Is Cortez a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Cortez is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Cortez?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cortez include Sherwood, Dee, Otho. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Cortez

Cortez is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Cortez's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #532. Use the chart and map above to compare Cortez's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.