Courtnei
An English feminine name of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 221 living Americans carry the first name Courtnei. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Courtnei today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Courtnei births was 1990 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Courtnei. 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
221
~ 1 in 1,550,925 Americans
Peak year
1990
20 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2011 SSA rank
#17,378
Tracked since 1980
Popularity
Courtnei: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Courtnei from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 127 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Courtnei 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 Courtnei 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 Courtnei
The name Courtnei is a modern spelling variation of the English name Courtney, which itself derives from the French surname Courtney or Courtenay. The name has its origins in the Norman French words "curt" meaning "short" and "nai" from the Latin natus, meaning "born." Together, these elements suggest the name means "short-nosed" or "short and well-bred."
The Courtenay family was a prominent noble family that originated in Courtenay, a town in the Loiret region of northern France. They played a significant role in English history, with several members holding important positions and titles, including those of Earl of Devon and Marquess of Exeter.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Courtnei can be found in the 12th century, when Renaud de Courtenay, a French nobleman, participated in the Third Crusade alongside Richard the Lionheart. Another notable bearer of the name was Pierre de Courtenay, who became the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in the early 13th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Courtnei or its variations. One of the earliest recorded was Courtnei de Pratis (born around 1190), an English clergyman and scholar who served as Archdeacon of Shrewsbury and later as Bishop of Worcester.
In the 15th century, Courtnei Cely (c. 1420-1493) was a prominent English merchant and member of the Cely family, known for their extensive trade networks and correspondence, which provides valuable insights into the commercial life of the time.
During the 16th century, Courtnei Vere (c. 1515-1598) was an English courtier and military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in suppressing the Northern Rebellion of 1569 and was later appointed Governor of Portsmouth.
In the 17th century, Courtnei Throckmorton (1629-1680) was an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire during the reign of King Charles II.
Another notable bearer of the name was Courtnei Cromwell (1668-1723), a British military officer and Member of Parliament who served as Governor of Landguard Fort and was involved in the defense of England during the War of the Spanish Succession.
People
Courtnei + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Courtnei 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
Courtnei: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Courtnei?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 221 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Courtnei 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 1,550,925 US residents.
Is Courtnei a common name?
We classify Courtnei as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 229 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Courtnei most popular?
The single biggest year for Courtnei was 1990, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Courtnei is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Courtnei a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Courtnei 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.