Given name & surname · also German
Curt
“a brave counselor”
Curt is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “a brave counselor.”
Original GermanKurt
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “a brave counselor.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
In German use, Curt is used as a spelling variant of Kurt. In English use, Curt is used as a spelling variant of German.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Curt is a short form of Curtis. The history of Curtis gives this family its wider story. Curtis’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Curt through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 16,680
- 16,680 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1960
- 720 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −28%
- Easing
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 9 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 720 in 1960. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 15,992 as a first name in 2020; 358 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.
Curt’s family of names
In English usage, Curt is a short form of Curtis. Curt has an alternative spelling in Kurt. In English usage, Curt has a related form in Curtis.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Curt has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Curt
- Curt O. SchallerGerman cinematographer, Steadicam operator, photographer, inventor and designerborn 1964
- Curt HennigAmerican professional wrestler (1958–2003)
- Curt SachsGerman musicologist (1881–1959)
- Curt GoetzGerman actor and writer (1888-1960)
- Curt HaaseGerman general (1881–1943)
- Curt LowensGerman actor (1925-2017)
- Curt SiodmakGerman-American writer1902–2000
- Curt von BardelebenGerman chess player (1861–1924)
- Curt SmithEnglish musician and current member of Tears for Fearsborn 1961
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Curt, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kent
“from the edge or border”
>99% boys
Ken
“born of fire” · “handsome, fair one”
>99% boys
Karl
“a free man”
>99% boys
Kemp
“the champion”
>99% boys
Carlton
“from the free man's town”
>99% boys
Stuart
“a steward; the keeper of the estate”
>99% boys
Kipp
“from the small pointed hill”
>99% boys
Carl
“a free man”
>99% boys