The name Cody is an English given name of uncertain origin. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cod," meaning a small bag or pouch, or from the Irish surname Ó Codaigh, meaning "descendant of Codaigh."

One theory suggests that the name Cody may have originated as a nickname for a person who carried a small bag or pouch, potentially referring to a peddler or traveler. Another theory links it to the Irish surname, which was anglicized to Cody during the time of the English colonization of Ireland.

The earliest recorded use of the name Cody dates back to the 17th century in England and Ireland. One of the earliest notable figures with the name was William Frederick Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917), an American scout, bison hunter, and showman who founded the famous Wild West show.

Another famous bearer of the name was Cody Jarrett (1892-1939), an American criminal and gang leader during the Depression era, whose exploits were depicted in the 1949 film "White Heat" starring James Cagney.

In literature, Cody was the name of a character in the 1944 novel "Dandelion Wine" by Ray Bradbury, which explored the summer adventures of a young boy in a small American town.

Other notable individuals named Cody include Cody Bellinger (born 1995), an American professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the National League Rookie of the Year in 2017, and Cody Rhodes (born 1985), an American professional wrestler and the son of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes.

William F. Cody, also known as Buffalo Bill, was one of the most famous figures to bear the name, and his Wild West shows helped popularize the name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.