Curtis
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Curtis is a French name meaning “refined”. It is a popular name, overwhelmingly used for boys, with 99.91% male usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Curtis
Curtis is a name of Old French (French) origin, derived from the term curteis, which signifies a person who is refined, courtly, or polite. Initially used as a descriptive nickname for those who displayed sophisticated manners, it eventually transitioned into a formal given name. Its history is tied to the development of courtly behavior in medieval society, where the term identified individuals of high social conduct.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Curtis
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Curtis is overwhelmingly used as a name for boys. Approximately 99.91% of recorded bearers are male. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Curtis
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Curtis is listed under Popular Boy Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 5.3K births |
| United Kingdom | Common | 1 in every 4.6K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 4.8K births |
| Australia | Popular | 1 in every 32K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Curtis ranked #1,062 on the Popular Boys’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It rose from #1,223 in 2024 — an improvement of 161 places. Curtis is uncommon in official lists but appears occasionally.
Historically, its best recorded position was #103 in 1910. Its lowest recorded position was #1,280 in 2023. Over the last 8 years (2017–2025) the name fell 8 places (from #935 to #1,062).
Name StyleMethodology
Curtis is classified as Timeless Boy Names because it appears across 100% of recorded years, averages 2,430 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 266 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Curtis
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Boy Names
- Length
- 6 letters — Medium-Length Boy Names
- Starts with
- C — Boy Names Starting with C
- Ends with
- s — Boy Names Ending in “s”
Name AestheticMethodology
Curtis utilizes a two-syllable phonetic pattern with a plosive k-start, providing a grounded, assertive auditory presence. The legacy of Curtis Mayfield adds a rhythmic, Strong & Powerful quality to the name.
Middle Names For Curtis
Middle names used with CurtisMethodology
Curtis is most frequently used with these boy middle names: Curtis Ray · Curtis Wayne · Curtis Eugene · Curtis James · Curtis EdwardView all 700 boy middle names.
- Total 1,168 middle names used with Curtis
- 141 girl middle names used with Curtis
- 299 unisex middle names used with Curtis
Middle name suggestions for CurtisMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Curtis is most frequently associated with boy middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “j”.
Examples: Curtis Jacob · Curtis Jason · Curtis Jesus · Curtis Jerry · Curtis Jared. View all 114 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Curtis
Natural Name MatchesMethodology
The complete dataset includes 2 biological records matching the name Curtis. None belong to the curated biological families used to classify Flower-, Tree-, or Bird-Inspired Names. These records are provided for reference only.
Names Similar to Curtis
Sound Like Curtis Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Kurtis · Cortez · Curtiss · View all 14 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Christopher · Kenneth · Kevin · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Curtis Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Thomas · Nicholas · Dennis · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Robert · Michael · William · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Curtis”
Dictionary Meaning of "Curtis"Methodology
An English surname transferred from the nickname, originally a nickname for a refined or courtly person
A male given name transferred from the surname
Examples
- A cold world, Curtis, in every office but thine; and therefore, fire.
- The night once come, our happiness, our unhappiness, — it is all abolished; vanished, clean gone; a thing that has been: ‘not of the slightest consequence’ whether we were happy as eupeptic Curtis, as the fattest pig of Epicurus, or unhappy as job with potsherds, as musical Byron with Giaours and sensibilities of the heart […]
A number of places in the United States
Show details
- An unincorporated community in Gilchrist County, Florida.
- An unincorporated community in Portage Township, Mackinac County, Michigan.
- A township in Alcona County, Michigan.
- A minor city in Frontier County, Nebraska.
- An unincorporated community in Lewis County, Washington.
A municipality in A Coruña province, Galicia, Spain
Alternative Forms
More Info
How to Spell Curtis in ASL
- C
- u
- r
- t
- i
- s
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