Home βΊ Baby Names Directory βΊ Corky
Corky
How to Pronounce Corky
Pronounced KOR-kee /ΛkΙΛr.ki/High
Meaning: Chiefly a nickname given as a first name β traditionally a familiar form of Cornelius (Latin, from 'cornu', horn) but also just the breezy adjective 'corky', meaning bouncy and full of life.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
As a formal first name, Corky is a diminutive that went its own way β most often a warm short form of Cornelius (from Latin cornu, 'horn'), though for some parents it was simply the lively word 'corky.' It belongs to the mid-century era of casual American nicknames-as-names.
Even at its height around the late 1950s only a few dozen boys a year were named Corky outright, so a man carrying it as his legal name is now typically in his late sixties. It never shed its playful, informal feel.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Corkyβ¦
Explore names like Corky
Frequently Asked
What does the name Corky mean?
Corky is usually a nickname for Cornelius, from the Latin 'cornu' meaning 'horn'; some families used it simply as the cheerful word 'corky.'
How do you pronounce Corky?
It's said KOR-kee /ΛkΙΛr.ki/ β two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Corky a boy or girl name?
Corky has been used mainly as a boy's name in the U.S.
How popular is Corky?
Corky has always been rare as a legal first name, given to only a few dozen boys a year even at its peak.