Cortez

Cortez - A very unique male name

Cortez appeared on the charts for the first time in 1954 on position #1249. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Cortez and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Cortez? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Cortez. The baby boy name Cortez was given to 43 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1812 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 34,100 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Cortez peaked in popularity 36 years ago in 1990 on position 523.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Cortez, 1-5?

Cortez is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Cortez is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #545 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,030.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Cortez is where you live.

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Cortez origin and meaning

Spanish surname transfer

A transferred Spanish surname; the surname itself is usually linked to cortes, 'courteous', or a place-name origin — not firmly settled

Cortez is the surname of Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador of Mexico, whose name in Spanish is usually spelled Cortés. As an American boys' name it peaked in 1990. The surname's own deeper origin is debated, and the conquistador association is unavoidable either way.

Origin uncertain

Cortez is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Cortez, pop culture references for the name Cortez and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Cortez

We've found the following names that sound similar to Cortez, sorted by popularity.

Curtis / Curtiss / Cartez /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Cortez

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Cortez a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Cortez?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

kor-TEZ · /kɔːrˈtɛz/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Cortes — The Spanish spelling of the same surname, also used as a given name

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Cortez for its strong, Spanish-inflected sound and surname style. It has been falling for decades from its 1990s peak.

Worth knowing

• Hernán Cortés, conqueror of the Aztec Empire, is a dominant and contested historical association
• Spanish speakers will expect the Cortés spelling and pronunciation