Curtis
From Old French corteis and curteis (Modern French courtois (“polite, courteous”).
Every Curtis since 1880 — 262,876 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Curtis
Curtis is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #985 in 2025 with 232 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 262,876 American babies have been named Curtis. Its peak came in 1962, when 5,602 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Curtis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Curtis year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 232 | #985 |
| 2024 | — | — | 249 | #930 |
| 2023 | — | — | 257 | #905 |
| 2022 | — | — | 302 | #821 |
| 2021 | — | — | 317 | #780 |
| 2020 | — | — | 361 | #703 |
| 2019 | — | — | 393 | #669 |
| 2018 | — | — | 438 | #615 |
| 2017 | — | — | 431 | #612 |
| 2016 | — | — | 508 | #563 |
| 2015 | — | — | 542 | #528 |
| 2014 | — | — | 525 | #530 |
| 2013 | — | — | 585 | #475 |
| 2012 | — | — | 625 | #442 |
| 2011 | — | — | 624 | #437 |
| 2010 | — | — | 652 | #424 |
| 2009 | — | — | 767 | #391 |
| 2008 | — | — | 809 | #380 |
| 2007 | — | — | 953 | #335 |
| 2006 | — | — | 916 | #339 |
| 2005 | — | — | 960 | #327 |
| 2004 | — | — | 950 | #322 |
| 2003 | — | — | 907 | #326 |
| 2002 | — | — | 1,024 | #291 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,124 | #273 |
| 2000 | 5 | #15,581 | 1,240 | #265 |
| 1995 | 6 | #12,108 | 1,709 | #183 |
| 1990 | 17 | #5,342 | 2,800 | #121 |
| 1985 | 27 | #3,264 | 2,943 | #98 |
| 1980 | 26 | #3,237 | 3,332 | #89 |
| 1975 | 15 | #4,190 | 2,327 | #113 |
| 1970 | 29 | #2,527 | 3,615 | #88 |
| 1965 | 39 | #1,832 | 4,687 | #75 |
| 1960 | 42 | #1,748 | 5,363 | #79 |
| 1955 | 37 | #1,700 | 4,981 | #79 |
| 1950 | 21 | #2,135 | 3,209 | #97 |
| 1945 | 29 | #1,522 | 2,393 | #97 |
| 1940 | 31 | #1,356 | 2,103 | #97 |
| 1935 | 26 | #1,457 | 1,753 | #108 |
| 1930 | 37 | #1,236 | 1,721 | #106 |
| 1925 | 21 | #1,905 | 1,520 | #118 |
| 1920 | 31 | #1,447 | 1,443 | #120 |
| 1915 | 23 | #1,532 | 1,058 | #128 |
| 1910 | 11 | #1,443 | 277 | #114 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,752 | 182 | #118 |
| 1900 | 10 | #1,247 | 144 | #147 |
| 1895 | — | — | 89 | #179 |
| 1890 | — | — | 86 | #164 |
| 1885 | — | — | 70 | #187 |
| 1880 | — | — | 68 | #186 |
Famous people named Curtis
- Curtis LeMay Politician · 1906–1990
- Curtis Hanson Film director · 1945–2016
- Curtis Mayfield Musician · 1942–1999
- Curtis T. McMullen Mathematician · b. 1958
- Curtis Fuller Musician · b. 1934
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Curtis mean?
From Old French corteis and curteis (Modern French courtois (“polite, courteous”).
How popular is the name Curtis in 2025?
Curtis ranked #985 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 232 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Curtis?
262,876 babies have been named Curtis in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Curtis most popular?
Curtis peaked in 1962, when 5,602 newborns received the name.
Is Curtis a boy or girl name?
Curtis is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Curtis rising or falling?
Curtis is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Curtis?
Well-known people named Curtis include Curtis LeMay (politician), Curtis Hanson (film director), Curtis Mayfield (musician).