Cotis
Old Bulgarian name meaning "young person" or "young boy".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Cotis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cotis today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cotis births was 1946 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cotis. 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 Cotis is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cotis' were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cotis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1946
5 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1946 SSA rank
#3,622
Tracked since 1946
Popularity
Cotis: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cotis 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 Cotis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cotis
The given name Cotis has its origins in ancient Thracian culture, which flourished in the regions of modern-day Bulgaria, Romania, and parts of Greece between the 6th century BC and the 3rd century AD. Linguists believe the name is derived from the Thracian word "kota," which means "mighty" or "powerful."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cotis can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who mentioned a Thracian king named Cotis in his work "The Histories," written in the 5th century BC. This Cotis was a ruler of the Odrysian Kingdom, a powerful Thracian state that dominated the region during that period.
In the 1st century BC, another Thracian ruler named Cotis IV ruled over the Odrysian Kingdom. He is mentioned in the writings of the Roman historian Strabo and is known for his alliance with the Roman Empire, which helped him maintain control over his territory.
Moving forward in time, a notable figure named Cotis was a 5th-century Byzantine military commander who served under the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II. He played a significant role in the defense of Constantinople against the Huns and is celebrated for his bravery and strategic prowess.
In the Middle Ages, a Slavic prince named Cotis ruled over the region of Zeta (modern-day Montenegro) in the 11th century. He is mentioned in historical chronicles for his efforts to maintain the independence of his principality from the Byzantine Empire.
Another notable figure with the name Cotis was a 17th-century Bulgarian Orthodox monk and scholar who lived in the Rila Monastery. He is known for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of Bulgarian culture and language during the Ottoman rule.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Cotis, but it is evident that this name has a rich heritage rooted in the ancient Thracian culture and has been carried forward through various periods and regions, often associated with prominent leaders, warriors, and scholars.
People
Cotis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cotis 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
Cotis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cotis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cotis 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Cotis a common name?
We classify Cotis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cotis most popular?
The single biggest year for Cotis was 1946, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cotis is about 77 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 Cotis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cotis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cotis 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 Cotis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cotis 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 Cotis 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 many Americans are named Cotis?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.