Unisex · #2,877 in 2026

Kory

Kory is a unisex given name. It is a male version of the name Cora, which has Greek origins and is the maiden name of the goddess Persephone. The name also can have origins from the Gaelic word coire, which means "in a cauldron", or "In a hollow". Notable people with the name include:

Current Rank
#2,877
Peak Rank
#360 (1989)
Total Babies
14K
5-Yr Trend
-11%
👧 Girl peak #2,147 (1K total)
👦 Boy peak #360 (14K total)
👦As Boy Name
1952
First Year
2026
Last Year
1989
Peak Year
#360
Peak Rank
14K
Total Count
75
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1957
First Year
2026
Last Year
1989
Peak Year
#2147
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
68
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kory

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

Kory is a unisex given name. It is a male version of the name Cora, which has Greek origins and is the maiden name of the goddess Persephone. The name also can have origins from the Gaelic word coire, which means "in a cauldron", or "In a hollow". Notable people with the name include:

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

The Story of Kory

As a girl name

Kory first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1957, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 50 Korys were born — ranking #2,338 that year. As of 2026, Kory ranks #8,804 for girls with 10 births, holding steady (+4%). In total, more than 1K Korys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Kory first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1952, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 601 Korys were born — ranking #373 that year. As of 2026, Kory ranks #2,877 for boys with 44 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 14K Korys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s 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

Notable people named Kory

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Kory Falite (born 1986), American ice hockey player
  • Kory Karlander (born 1972), Canadian ice hockey player
  • Kory Kath (born 1977), American politician
  • Kory Kocur (born 1969), Canadian ice hockey player
  • Kory Lichtensteiger (born 1985), American football player
  • Kory Minor (born 1976), American football player
  • Kory Roberts (born 1997), English footballer
  • Kory Scoran (born 1981), Canadian ice hockey player

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

Names that sound like Kory

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kory 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 Kory

What does the name Kory mean?
Kory is a unisex given name. It is a male version of the name Cora, which has Greek origins and is the maiden name of the goddess Persephone. The name also can have origins from the Gaelic word coire, which means "in a cauldron", or "In a hollow". Notable people with the name include:
How popular is Kory in 2026?
In 2026, Kory ranks #2,877 among boys' names in the U.S., with 44 babies given the name that year.
When was Kory most popular?
Kory reached its peak popularity in 1989, ranking #360 that year with 601 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Kory most popular?
Kory has historically been most popular in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Kory.
Is Kory a unisex name?
Yes — Kory is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 9% of Korys assigned female and 91% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Kory?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kory include Giles, Christ, Coleman. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Kory

Kory is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1952 and has accumulated 14K births in the dataset. Kory's peak popularity came in 1989 when it ranked #360. Use the chart and map above to compare Kory'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.