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Home › Baby Names Directory › Courtenay

Courtenay

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Courtenay

Pronounced KORT-nee /ˈkɔrt.ni/Medium

Meaning: Courtenay is the older, aristocratic spelling of Courtney, from a Norman-French surname taken from the place Courtenay in France; it has also been folk-linked to 'short nose.' The -enay form recalls the noble English Courtenay family.Low

In 30 seconds: Courtenay is the noble French spelling of Courtney — a place-name surname (said 'KORT-nee'). A refined 1960s variant.
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Origin LowFrench, English
MeaningCourtenay is the older, aristocratic spelling of Courtney, from a Norman-French surname taken from the place Courtenay in France; it has also been folk-linked to 'short nose.' The -enay form recalls the noble English Courtenay family.
U.S. rank (2005)#17072 ↘ Falling
2005 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1966
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,189

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196619252005

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Courtenay is the elder spelling of Courtney, from the French place and surname Courtenay, borne by an old English noble house. As a girl's name it peaked around 1966, a stylish minority form of the rising Courtney.

A Courtenay from the peak is now in her early sixties. Courtney reads as an 80s-and-90s name now, while the Courtenay spelling has a quieter, heritage air; neither is currently in revival, but the classic surname keeps it dignified.

Did you know? The Courtenays were a prominent Anglo-Norman noble family, so this spelling carries a distinctly aristocratic flavor next to the more common Courtney.
Overall data confidence 52%
References — Courtenay — Older spelling of Courtney (French place/surname)

Variations

CourtneyKortneyCourtnee

Nicknames

CourtCourtie

Famous Bearers

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If you like Courtenay…

Courtney— the standard spelling of the same name
Kortney— a like respelling of the era
Whitney— a like place-name surname turned girls' name
Brittany— a like place-name girls' name of the period

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Courtenay mean?

Courtenay is a spelling of Courtney, from the French place and surname Courtenay.

How do you pronounce Courtenay?

It's said KORT-nee /ˈkɔrt.ni/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Courtenay a boy or girl name?

Courtenay is used as a girl's name, a spelling of Courtney.

How popular is Courtenay?

Courtenay was a refined minority spelling of Courtney that peaked in the mid-nineteen-sixties.

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