Unisex · #6,551 in 2026

Courage

Courage is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valour is courage or bravery, especially in battle.

Current Rank
#6,551
Peak Rank
#5,153 (2019)
Total Babies
281
5-Yr Trend
-3%
👧 Girl peak #9,149 (62 total)
👦 Boy peak #5,153 (281 total)
👦As Boy Name
1990
First Year
2026
Last Year
2019
Peak Year
#5153
Peak Rank
281
Total Count
29
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
2008
First Year
2023
Last Year
2018
Peak Year
#9149
Peak Rank
62
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Courage

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Courage is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valour is courage or bravery, especially in battle.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Courage

As a girl name

Courage first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2008, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 11 Courages were born — ranking #9,149 that year. As of 2026, Courage ranks #13,455 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 62 Courages have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Courage first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1990, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 18 Courages were born — ranking #5,153 that year. As of 2026, Courage ranks #6,551 for boys with 12 births, holding steady (-3%). In total, more than 281 Courages have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Courage

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

  • Crush
  • Crutch
  • Krush
  • Krutch
  • Krage
  • Cruche
  • Kriege
  • Grudge
  • Creche
  • Cresh
  • Crish
  • Crich

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Courage

What does the name Courage mean?
Courage is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valour is courage or bravery, especially in battle.
How popular is Courage in 2026?
In 2026, Courage ranks #6,551 among boys' names in the U.S., with 12 babies given the name that year.
When was Courage most popular?
Courage reached its peak popularity in 2019, ranking #5,153 that year with 18 babies given the name.
Is Courage a unisex name?
Yes — Courage is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 18% of Courages assigned female and 82% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Courage?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Courage include Nahzir, Thanos, Amiliano. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Courage

Courage is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 281 births in the dataset. Courage's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #5,153. Use the chart and map above to compare Courage'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.