Given name
Courtnay
“a courteous woman; courtly”·“a courteous man; courtly”
Courtnay is a variant of Courtney. Interpretations include “a courteous woman; courtly” (English) and “a courteous man; courtly” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Courtnay is a variant of Courtney. Interpretations include “a courteous woman; courtly” (English) and “a courteous man; courtly” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Courtnay is a variant of Courtney. An origin associated with Courtney is Old French.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1965. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Courtnay is a variant of Courtney. The history of Courtney gives this family its wider story. Courtney’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Courtnay through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 477
- 10 boys · 467 girls
- Most popular year
- 1985
- 24 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 8 in 1998. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 24 in 1985. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 481 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Courtnay’s family of names
Courtnay has a related form in Courtney.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Courtnay
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Courtnay, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kourtney
“one who is polite; courteous”
8% boys · 92% girls
Cara
“beloved” · “one who is dearly loved”
>99% girls
Katy
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Lindsay
Lindsay is used as a given name, a surname, and a nickname. One English interpretation is “from the island of linden trees; from Lincoln's wetland.”
1% boys · 99% girls
Kassie
“an unheeded prophetess”
>99% girls
Caitlin
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Candace
“a queen” · “one who is white and glowing”
>99% girls
Corina
“a spear-wielding woman”
>99% girls