Where does the name Curtis come from?

Curtis is a boy name of French origin.

Is Curtis a boy or a girl name?

Curtis is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Curtis are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Curtis in 2023?

Curtis ranks #905 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1962 with 5,602 babies.

How do you pronounce Curtis?

Curtis is pronounced KER-tiss (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Curtis?

Curtis is also written as Curt, Kurtis, Kurt.

A name from French · Boy

Curtis

From the Old French curteis meaning 'courteous' — originally a nickname for someone with refined or polite manners. Adopted as a given name in 19th-century America.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

260,073 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

257 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

CFrom the Old French curteis meaning 'courteous' — originally a nickname for someone with refined or polite manners. Adopted as a given name in 19th-century America.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Curtis".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Curt Most common Kurtis Kurt

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Curtis.

C
Curtis Mayfield (soul musician)
C
Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson (rapper)
C
Tony Curtis (actor; surname)

Quick answers

People often ask about Curtis.

What does the name Curtis mean?: Curtis means from the Old French curteis meaning 'courteous' — originally a nickname for someone with refined or polite manners. Adopted as a given name in 19th-century America.
Where does the name Curtis come from?: Curtis is a boy name of French origin.
Is Curtis a boy or a girl name?: Curtis is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Curtis are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Curtis in 2023?: Curtis ranks #905 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1962 with 5,602 babies.
How do you pronounce Curtis?: Curtis is pronounced KER-tiss (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Curtis?: Curtis is also written as Curt, Kurtis, Kurt.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.