Cordis
A feminine Latin name meaning "heart" or "inner self".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Cordis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cordis today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cordis births was 1916 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cordis. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Cordis is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cordis' were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cordis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1916
8 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1946 SSA rank
#3,617
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Cordis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cordis from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 23 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Cordis remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cordis by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Cordis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cordis
The name Cordis originates from the Latin word "cor", meaning "heart". It is believed to have been first used as a given name during the Roman Empire period, around the 1st century AD. The name was likely derived from the Latin phrase "ex corde", which translates to "from the heart" or "wholeheartedly".
During the early Christian era, the name Cordis gained popularity as it was associated with virtues such as compassion, sincerity, and devotion. In medieval times, it was often given to children born into religious families or those with a connection to the Church.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cordis can be found in the writings of St. Augustine of Hippo, a renowned philosopher and theologian who lived from 354 to 430 AD. He referred to a disciple named Cordis in his work "Confessions".
In the 12th century, a Benedictine monk named Cordis of Limoges became notable for his contributions to the field of music and liturgical chants. He is believed to have been born around 1120 AD.
Another notable figure with the name Cordis was a French scholar and philosopher who lived in the 13th century. Cordis de la Tour is credited with translating several ancient Greek texts into Latin, helping to preserve and disseminate classical knowledge during the Middle Ages.
During the Renaissance period, a prominent Italian painter named Cordis Ferrucci (1475-1545) gained recognition for his religious-themed works, including frescoes in various churches and cathedrals across Italy.
In more recent history, Cordis Ambrosius (1892-1975) was a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on topics related to Christian ethics and social justice.
People
Cordis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cordis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cordis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cordis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cordis going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Cordis a common name?
We classify Cordis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 58 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cordis most popular?
The single biggest year for Cordis was 1916, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cordis is about 84 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Cordis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cordis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cordis in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Cordis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cordis in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Cordis can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Cordis?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.