Given name & surname · also Irish
Cody
“one who is helpful; a wealthy woman”·“acting as a cushion”·“one who is helpful; a wealthy man”
Cody is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is helpful; a wealthy woman”, “acting as a cushion”, and “one who is helpful; a wealthy man”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is helpful; a wealthy woman”, “acting as a cushion”, and “one who is helpful; a wealthy man”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Irish and English naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Cody through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 297,177
- 292,009 boys · 5,168 girls
- Most popular year
- 1992
- 20,079 babies
- 2025
- 1,098
- #318 for boys · #5,594 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 98% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,076 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 318 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 19,876 in 1992. It also appeared in 22 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (140). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 248,588 as a first name in 2020; 18,338 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cody’s family of names
In English usage, Cody has a diminutive in CODES. In English usage, Cody has a related form in Kody. In English usage, Cody has a related form in Codi.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Cody
- Cody GakpoDutch association football player (born 1999)
- Cody RhodesAmerican professional wrestlerborn 1985
- Cody SimpsonAustralian singerborn 1997
- Cody ChristianAmerican actorborn 1995
- Cody LinleyAmerican actorborn 1989
- Cody CameronAmerican director and storyboard artistborn 1970
- Cody FernAustralian actor and filmmakerborn 1988
- Cody ZellerAmerican basketball player (born 1992)
- Cody WalkerAmerican actorborn 1988
Characters named Cody: Cody Martin (fictional human in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Cody (fictional Final Fight character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Cody, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Conor
“lover of hounds” · “a wolf-lover”
>99% boys
Colby
“from the coal town”
90% boys · 10% girls
Corey
“from the hollow; of the churning waters”
96% boys · 4% girls
Kyle
“from the narrow channel”
97% boys · 3% girls
Kolby
“a dark-haired man”
84% boys · 16% girls
Colin
“high” · “of the victorious people”
>99% boys
Coby
“the supplanter” · “he who supplants”
99% boys · 1% girls
Cole
“a swarthy woman; having coal-black hair” · “having dark features; having coal-black hair”
>99% boys