Cortez
Meaningcourteous · Spanish
- US rank
- #1,654
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #532 in 1990
101 babies were named Cortez in the US in 2025. It has dropped 256 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1882–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Cortez you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 16,920 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Cortez, 101 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Cortez would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryCortez first shows up in US birth records in 1882, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 143 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1990, when it ranked #532. Today it's #1,654, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendCortez has slipped 256 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,654. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedCortez is most popular in Mississippi, where it ranks #522, followed by Louisiana (#672) and Michigan (#829). It's in the top 1,000 in 3 states.
- MeaningIn Spanish, Cortez means “courteous”. Our records link it to Hispanic and Spanish roots.
About the name Cortez
Cortez is a boy name of Hispanic and Spanish origin meaning “courteous”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-tez”. US birth records list Cortez for boys from 1882 to 2025, in 114 of those 144 years. Its best year was 1990, when it ranked #532 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,654, with 101 babies.
Origin:Hispanic namesSpanish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5.5 | 181,818 boys |
| 1900s | 3.0 | 327,869 boys |
| 1910s | 15 | 65,963 boys |
| 1920s | 11 | 93,284 boys |
| 1930s | 12 | 81,699 boys |
| 1940s | 7.6 | 131,579 boys |
| 1950s | 11 | 89,526 boys |
| 1960s | 20 | 50,633 boys |
| 1970s | 50 | 20,109 boys |
| 1980s | 97 | 10,281 boys |
| 1990s | 136 | 7,329 boys |
| 2000s | 102 | 9,816 boys |
| 2010s | 98 | 10,161 boys |
| 2020s | 61 | 16,340 boys |
Other spellings of Cortez
More Hispanic boy names
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Unisex name: Gabriel · God is my strength
- Unisex name: Jose · he will add
- Boy name: Carlos · free man
- Boy name: Emilio · rival, striving
- Boy name: Jesus · God is salvation
- Boy name: Antonio · from the Roman family Antonius
- Boy name: Alejandro · defender of men
Questions about the name Cortez
What does the name Cortez mean?
Cortez means “courteous” in Spanish.
What is the origin of the name Cortez?
Cortez has Hispanic, Spanish roots in our records. Other Hispanic names include Sebastian, Gabriel, Jose.
Is Cortez a boy or girl name?
Cortez is a boy name.
How popular is the name Cortez?
Cortez ranked #1,654 for US boys in 2025, given to 101 babies. Its best year was 1990 (#532).