Total births
258,399
Unisex name · since 1881
Courtney
Courtney has 258,399 recorded births since 1881 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1990 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1981
- among girls today
- 258,399
- born since 1881
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Courtney currently ranks #1981 among unisex names in America, with 258,399 babies recorded since 1881.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Courtney has been recorded 258,399 times among girls since 1881, currently ranked #1981 nationally and more common than 89% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #1981 among girls today
- 258,399 born since 1881
- 1990s peak decade
- 89% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Courtney is currently the #1981 unisex name in America, more common than 89% of girls - 258,399 born since 1881, peaking in the 1990s.
- #1981
- among girls today
- 258,399
- born since 1881
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Courtney vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1981
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 89% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Courtney was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
15,380 babies were named Courtney in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
How Courtney compares
258,399 Top 1% higher than 99% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Courtney's all-time total is 676x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Courtney | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 258,399 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 15,380 | 48 | 19,840 |
Courtney's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Courtney splits its recorded history at 1960: 100% of all births land in the more recent half, 0% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1882 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1990 peak of 15,380 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Courtney at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1990
Current rank
#1,981
Active since
1881
Courtney popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1990)
- 15,380
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Courtney popularity over time - boys
23,033 total births recorded since 1884 (Courtney as boys' name)
Courtney by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Courtney's strongest decade.
113,290 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Courtney births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 37
1880s
37 births
- 1890s 46
1890s
46 births
- 1900s 44
1900s
44 births
- 1910s 120
1910s
120 births
- 1920s 147
1920s
147 births
- 1930s 102
1930s
102 births
- 1940s 302
1940s
302 births
- 1950s 449
1950s
449 births
- 1960s 3,239
1960s
3,239 births
- 1970s 23,991
1970s
23,991 births
- 1980s
1980s
84,309 births
- 1990s
1990s
113,290 births
- 2000s 26,979
2000s
26,979 births
- 2010s 4,661
2010s
4,661 births
- 2020s 683
2020s
683 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 113,290 births (44% of all-time use).
How Courtney compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Courtney's total volume
Courtney vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Courtney by state
Where Courtney concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 20,393 | 7.9% |
| #2 | California | | 19,411 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 13,076 | 5.1% |
| #4 | New York | | 12,980 | 5.0% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 11,878 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Florida | | 11,631 | 4.5% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 10,405 | 4.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 10,005 | 3.9% |
Texas share of Courtney's total US births 7.9%
Even split
20,393 of 258,399 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Courtney appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Courtney? ▼
Courtney has been given to 258,399 babies in the U.S. since 1881, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1981 as of the latest data. 15,380 babies were born in 1990, its single highest year.
When was Courtney most popular? ▼
Courtney was most popular in the 1990s decade with 113,290 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Courtney most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Courtney are Texas (20,393 births), California (19,411 births), Ohio (13,076 births).
Is Courtney a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Courtney is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 258,399 births, and as a boy's name it has 23,033 births.
How long has the name Courtney been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Courtney since 1881 -- 145 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Courtney? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Courtnie, Courtnee, Courtenay, Courteney, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Courtney's data
- Courtney's decade-level peak was the 1990s (113,290 total births); usage has since declined to 683 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Courtneys (20,393 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Courtney
Nearby Names Like Courtney
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Courtney
Courtnie Girl
2,114 births
Courtnee Girl
1,627 births
Courtenay Girl
1,189 births
Courteney Girl
1,124 births
Courtni Girl
937 births
Compare Courtney side by side: Courtney vs Courtnie Courtney vs Courtnee Courtney vs Courtenay
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Courtney
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Courtney: #1981 Unisex Name - 258,399 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/courtney. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Courtney draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.