Kori

♀ Girl

Pronounced KOR-ee /ˈkɔːr.i/High

Meaning: Variant spelling of Cory or Corey, possibly from Greek Kore meaning maiden or girl, or from Irish/Gaelic coire meaning hollow or cauldron, or a short form of Cornelia or CordeliaMedium

In 30 seconds: Kori is a soft, modern variant of Cori meaning maiden. With a K-initial twist on a familiar name, it has a friendly, approachable quality that suits both the nickname and standalone name traditions.

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Origin MediumGreek, English

MeaningVariant spelling of Cory or Corey, possibly from Greek Kore meaning maiden or girl, or from Irish/Gaelic coire meaning hollow or cauldron, or a short form of Cornelia or Cordelia

U.S. rank (2025)#978 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births260 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2016

Total births (all-time)≈ 14,820

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

Kori connects to Greek Kore meaning maiden, the original name of Persephone. The Irish Gaelic coire meaning hollow gave Corey its surname origin. As a given name, the K-spelling Kori is an American variant popular since the late 20th century.

Kori, Cori, and Corey have all been used for both boys and girls, though Kori with a feminine -i ending tends to be preferred for girls. It peaked in the 1970s–1990s and is now a quiet, understated choice.

Did you know? Kore was the original name of Persephone in Greek mythology — before she became the queen of the underworld, she was known simply as Kore, the maiden. Her abduction by Hades is one of the central myths explaining the seasons.

Overall data confidence 72%

Behind the Name — Cori — Greek and Irish etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

CoriCoreyCory

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

★Kori Carter (1992-)
American hurdler and 2017 world champion in the 400 metres hurdles

If you like Kori…

Cori— direct spelling variant sharing the maiden meaning and identical sound

Tori— shares the k/t swap pattern and the same -ori ending popularity

Lori— same vintage American -ori feminine name family and soft sound

Stori— a fellow English choice

Kari— echoes that soft -ri sound

Explore names like Kori

By themeamerican greek two-syllable modern-spelling soft

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kori mean?

Kori means maiden from Greek Kore, the original name of Persephone, or hollow from Irish Gaelic coire. It is a K-spelling variant of Cori.

How do you pronounce Kori?

It is said KOR-ee, with two syllables and stress on the first.

Is Kori a girl or boy name?

Kori is used for both but the K-initial -i ending version tends to be preferred for girls.

Is Kori the same as Cori?

Kori and Cori are spelling variants of the same name with identical pronunciation and the same Greek or Irish origin.