The first name Curtis
A boy’s name meaning “polite”, “courteous”.
Pronounced /ˈkɝtɪs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Curtis means “polite”, “courteous”.
From Old French corteis and curteis (Modern French courtois (“polite, courteous”). Doublet of courteous.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 29 boys were named Curtis, making it the 1,035th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 757 births (#78).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Curtis with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Curtis at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 232 boys born in the United States were named Curtis, the 985th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1962, when 5,569 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Curtis
68 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Curtis JonesEnglish association football player (born 2001)
- Curtis HansonAmerican filmmaker (1945–2016)
- Curtis DaviesEnglish association football player, born 1985
- Curtis LeMayAmerican general and politician (1906–1990)
- Curtis T. McMullenAmerican mathematician and Fields medallist, born 1958
- Curtis YarvinAmerican far-right political theorist and computer scientist, born 1973
- Curtis ArmstrongAmerican actor, voice actor, and singer (born 1953)
- Curtis GoodAustralian association football player, born 1993
- Curtis FullerAmerican jazz musician (1932–2021)
- Curtis JosephCanadian ice hockey player, born 1967
- Curtis BernhardtGerman film director (1899–1981)
- Steven Curtis ChapmanAmerican contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter, born 1962
Questions
- What does the name Curtis mean?
- Curtis means “polite”, “courteous”.
- How popular is the name Curtis?
- In 2025, 29 boys born in England and Wales were named Curtis, ranking 1,035th. Its peak was 1996, with 757 births.
- What are nicknames for Curtis?
- Common nicknames for Curtis include Curt.
- Is Curtis a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 262,876 US babies named Curtis since 1880 were boys.
- When was Curtis most popular?
- 1962 in the United States, when 5,569 babies were named Curtis, its highest rank at 73rd.
- How do you pronounce Curtis?
- Curtis is /ˈkɝtɪs/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Curtis?
- Curtiss and Kurtis.
- Is Curtis also a surname?
- Yes. Curtis is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.