Given name & surname · also Old Norse
Corey
“from the hollow; of the churning waters”
Corey is used as a given name and a surname. One Irish interpretation is “from the hollow; of the churning waters.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Irish interpretation is “from the hollow; of the churning waters.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old Norse.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1919. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Corey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 194,076
- 185,020 boys · 9,056 girls
- Most popular year
- 1989
- 8,290 babies
- 2025
- 351
- #778 for boys · #5,278 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −33%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 96% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 327 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 778 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 33.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8,003 in 1989. It also appeared in 24 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (30). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 156,599 as a first name in 2020; 14,106 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.
Corey’s family of names
In English usage, Corey has a related form in Cory. Corey has a related form in Cory. In English usage, Corey has a related form in Cori.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 34
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Coryvariant · English
- Corivariant · English
- Koreyvariant · English
- Koryvariant · English
- Corrievariant
- Corievariant
- Correevariant
- Corrivariant
Show 26 moreShow fewer
- Corryvariant
- Correyvariant
- Coreavariant
- Coreevariant
- Corettevariant
- Corrissavariant
- Corlenevariant
- Coritavariant
- Corissavariant
- Corisavariant
- Corettavariant
- Corellavariant
- Corriannavariant
- Coriannevariant
- Coriannvariant
- Coreyelikely variant
- Correavariant
- Correahvariant
- Coreahvariant
- Corriannevariant
- Corentinevariant
- Coryssavariant
- Correllevariant
- Correllavariant
- Corillavariant
- Correvariant
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Corey
- Corey TaylorAmerican musicianborn 1973
- Corey StollAmerican stage and screen actorborn 1976
- Corey HaimCanadian actor (1971–2010)
- Corey FeldmanAmerican actor and musicianborn 1971
- Corey HawkinsAmerican actorborn 1988
- Corey BrewerAmerican basketball player (born 1986)
- Corey HartCanadian musician and singerborn 1962
- Corey PerryCanadian ice hockey playerborn 1985
- Corey BurtonAmerican voice actorborn 1955
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Corey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Casey
“vigilant, wakeful” · “a vigilant woman”
74% boys · 26% girls
Conor
“lover of hounds” · “a wolf-lover”
>99% boys
Cody
“one who is helpful; a wealthy woman” · “acting as a cushion”
98% boys · 2% girls
Kyle
“from the narrow channel”
97% boys · 3% girls
Coleman
“one who burns charcoal; resembling a dove”
>99% boys
Keenan
“a small woman” · “of an ancient family”
>99% boys
Comey
“son of the servant of Lord God”
—
Sean
“God is gracious”
>99% boys