Cotina
A feminine name of unverified origin, possibly derived from Spanish meaning "quail".
Name Census estimates that about 218 living Americans carry the first name Cotina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cotina today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cotina births was 1972 (109 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cotina. 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.
People living today
218
~ 1 in 1,572,268 Americans
Peak year
1972
109 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
1980 SSA rank
#10,720
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Cotina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cotina from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 238 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cotina 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 Cotina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cotinas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi recorded the most babies named Cotina, while Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cotina
The name Cotina is believed to have originated from the Gaulish language, spoken by the ancient Celtic tribes of Gaul, which is modern-day France and parts of neighboring countries. It is thought to be derived from the Gaulish word "cotinos" or "codinos," meaning "little woods" or "little forest."
This connection to nature and woodlands suggests that the name may have been given to individuals born in or near forested areas, or perhaps those who lived close to the natural world. The name's Gaulish roots trace back to the Iron Age, around the 5th century BC, when these Celtic tribes flourished across Western Europe.
While there are no known direct references to the name Cotina in ancient texts or scriptures, its linguistic origins suggest it may have been used by the Gaulish people during their time. However, concrete historical records of individuals bearing this name are scarce from this early period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Cotina was a Gallic woman who lived in the 1st century BC. She is mentioned in a Roman inscription found in the city of Nîmes, in southern France, which was part of the ancient Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis.
Another notable figure was Cotina of Tours, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD in the city of Tours, located in present-day central France. She is believed to have been executed for her faith during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Decius.
In the 5th century AD, there was a Gallo-Roman nobleman named Cotina, who served as a military commander under the Western Roman Emperor Avitus. He is mentioned in historical accounts for his role in defending Gaul against invading Germanic tribes.
During the Middle Ages, a Benedictine nun named Cotina lived in the 9th century in the Abbey of Remiremont, located in the Vosges region of eastern France. She is recorded in the abbey's chronicles for her piety and devotion to religious life.
In the 12th century, a French troubadour and poet named Cotina de Rocaficha, from the region of Languedoc in southern France, was known for her works celebrating courtly love and chivalry, which were popular among the nobility of the time.
These examples, spanning several centuries and regions, demonstrate the enduring presence of the name Cotina throughout history, particularly in areas with Gaulish and Celtic cultural influences.
People
Cotina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cotina 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
Cotina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cotina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 218 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cotina 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 1,572,268 US residents.
Is Cotina a common name?
We classify Cotina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 243 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cotina most popular?
The single biggest year for Cotina was 1972, when 109 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cotina is about 53 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cotina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cotina in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.