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Courtnay
How to Pronounce Courtnay
Pronounced KORT-nee /ˈkɔːrt.ni/High
Meaning: Courtnay is a spelling variant of Courtney, an aristocratic English surname taken from the French place-name Courtenay. That name is traced either to a Gallo-Roman estate of a man called Curtius or, by folk etymology, to court le nez, 'short nose'. As a girl's name it flowered in the late twentieth century.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
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
Courtnay is a variant spelling of Courtney, a surname of the English aristocracy borrowed from the French place-name Courtenay. Scholars link it to a Gallo-Roman landholder named Curtius, while an old popular reading is 'short nose'. The name swung firmly toward girls in the United States in the 1980s, and the -ay ending gives this version a soft, personal finish.
This spelling was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year around its mid-1980s high while the standard Courtney soared. A woman named Courtnay from then is now in her late thirties.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Courtnay mean?
It comes from Courtney, a surname from the French place Courtenay, read as an estate name or, by folk tale, 'short nose'.
How do you pronounce Courtnay?
It's said KORT-nee /ˈkɔːrt.ni/, two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Courtnay a boy or girl name?
Here Courtnay is used as a girl's name, as Courtney mostly is today.
Is Courtnay a popular name?
No, this spelling has always been rare, though the standard Courtney was very popular in the eighties.