Courtnay
A feminine name of French origin meaning "dweller near the courtyard".
Name Census estimates that about 441 living Americans carry the first name Courtnay. It is a predominantly female name (97.9% of registrations). The average person named Courtnay today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Courtnay births was 1985 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Courtnay. 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
441
~ 1 in 777,221 Americans
Peak year
1985
24 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1996 SSA rank
#9,271
Tracked since 1965
Gender
Gender distribution for Courtnay
Courtnay leans heavily female at 97.9% of total registrations, but 10 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Courtnay as a male name
- Ranked #9,271 in 1996
- 5 male births in 1996
- Peak: 1989 (5 births)
Courtnay as a female name
- Ranked #10,324 in 1998
- 8 female births in 1998
- Peak: 1985 (24 births)
Popularity
Courtnay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Courtnay from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 167 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Courtnay remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Courtnay 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 Courtnay 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 Courtnay
The name Courtnay is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "courteis," meaning courteous or well-mannered. This name was initially used as a surname, referring to someone who displayed courtly behavior or manners. It gained prominence during the Middle Ages, particularly among the nobility and aristocracy.
The earliest recorded use of Courtnay as a given name dates back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known figures with this name was Courtnay, Earl of Devon, born in 1292. He was a prominent English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
Another notable individual with the name Courtnay was Courtnay of Penwith, a Cornish landowner and military leader who lived in the late 14th century. He played a significant role in the Cornish uprising against King Richard II in 1387.
In the 16th century, Courtnay Marbury was an English merchant and explorer who is believed to have been one of the first Englishmen to visit the West Indies. He was born in 1555 and is known for his travels to the Caribbean and his accounts of the region.
During the 17th century, Courtnay Crittenden was a prominent English politician and member of parliament. Born in 1629, he was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War and served as a member of Oliver Cromwell's Council of State.
In more recent times, Courtnay Terrell was an American jazz singer and actress who gained popularity in the 1940s and 1950s. Born in 1914, she was known for her sultry voice and performances in several Hollywood musicals.
While the name Courtnay has its roots in the French language and medieval European history, it has been adopted and used across various cultures and regions over time. Its association with nobility, courtesy, and refinement has contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.
People
Courtnay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Courtnay 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
Courtnay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Courtnay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 441 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Courtnay 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 777,221 US residents.
Is Courtnay a common name?
We classify Courtnay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 477 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Courtnay most popular?
The single biggest year for Courtnay was 1985, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Courtnay is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Courtnay a female name?
Yes, 97.9% of people registered as Courtnay 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.