Courtney

Courtney - A very unique male name

Courtney appeared on the charts for the first time in 1912 on position #901. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Courtney and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Courtney? 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 Courtney. The baby boy name Courtney was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3904 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 293,257 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Courtney peaked in popularity 49 years ago in 1977 on position 253.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Courtney, 1-5?

Courtney is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Courtney is currently topping the baby name charts in Texas at position #2,653 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,653.

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 Courtney is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Courtney origin and meaning

English — transferred surname

A transferred surname, from a Norman place name; its exact meaning is uncertain

Courtney began as an aristocratic English surname from a Norman place name and was used for boys through most of the 20th century, peaking in 1980. Its surname meaning is debated, and the popular 'short nose' gloss is a folk etymology that should not be repeated as fact. Girls' use later overtook boys', so the male name now reads as a period choice.

Origin uncertain

Courtney is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Courtney

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

Cortney / Cardin / Creedence / Cordney / Carden / Chritian /

---

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 Courtney

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 Courtney 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 Courtney?

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.

---

Pronunciation

KORT-nee · /ˈkɔːrtni/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Courtenay — The older surname spelling

Nicknames: Court

Famous bearers

• Courtney B. Vance — American actor, known for The People v. O. J. Simpson (b. 1960) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

A dignified surname name for a boy, familiar from its 1970s–80s years but now uncommon.

Worth knowing

• Now far more common for girls, so a boy Courtney may have to correct assumptions
• The 'short nose' meaning is a folk claim, not the surname's established origin