Cortney
Courtney is a unisex given name that is a transferred use of the Norman French surname and place name Courtenay, meaning "domain of Curtius". Courtenay was used as a given name for men beginning in the 17th century. Courtenay has been in use as a given name for women in the Southern United States since the 18th century.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Cortney
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Courtney is a unisex given name that is a transferred use of the Norman French surname and place name Courtenay, meaning "domain of Curtius". Courtenay was used as a given name for men beginning in the 17th century. Courtenay has been in use as a given name for women in the Southern United States since the 18th century.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Cortney
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Cortney as a girl name dates back to 1963, when 5 babies received it. 1990 was its biggest year on record, with 1,261 newborns named Cortney — #226 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 42% of all recorded Cortneys. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 17K Cortneys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Cortney first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1943, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1987: 152 births, good for #740 nationwide. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Cortneys. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 3K Cortneys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Cortney
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cortney. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Cortney
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cortney is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cortney
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How popular is Cortney in 2026?
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Is Cortney a unisex name?
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About the name Cortney
Cortney is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1963 and has accumulated 17K births in the dataset. Cortney's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #226. Use the chart and map above to compare Cortney's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1990 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.