Curtis

Curtis - A very unique male name

Curtis appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #107. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Curtis and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Curtis? 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 Curtis. The baby boy name Curtis was given to 179 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1003 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 8,192 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Curtis peaked in popularity 63 years ago in 1963 on position 72.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Curtis, 1-5?

Curtis is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Curtis is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #377 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,313.

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 Curtis is where you live.

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Curtis origin and meaning

Old French — transferred surname

A transferred surname from Old French courteis, 'courteous, courtly'

Curtis began as a medieval nickname and surname for a courteous man, from the world of the court. As a boy's name it peaked in 1962 and now carries a friendly mid-century feel.

Attested etymology

Curtis is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Curtis

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

Cortez / 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 Curtis

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 Curtis 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 Curtis?

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

KUR-tis · /ˈkɜrtɪs/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Kurtis — K-spelling variant.
• Curtiss — Double-s surname spelling, rarely a given name.

Nicknames: Curt

Famous bearers

• Curtis Mayfield — American soul singer and songwriter (1942–1999) Historical
• Curtis Armstrong — American actor, known for Revenge of the Nerds and Moonlighting (b. 1953) Contemporary

Style

SurnameClassic

Why parents choose it

Curtis is a solid, unshowy surname name with soul-music warmth from Curtis Mayfield. It is far below its 1960s peak, so it feels fresh again to some ears.

Worth knowing

• The Curt short form can sound abrupt to some.
• It reads as a 1950s–60s name to many.