Corey
Corey was the 778th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 327 babies. Its best year was 1977, when it ranked 52nd; the most babies were born in 1989 (8,003). Over the last ten years it has moved down 366 places. More babies were named Corey in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Meaning from Norse Kóri (meaning uncertain) · Old Norse, Old Irish, English
Say it KOR-ee /ˈkɔri/
- Rank in 2025
- #778 boys, down 248 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 327boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19898,003 babies
- Total since 1880
- 194,076babies recorded
What does the name Corey mean?
Corey is an English surname that Wiktionary derives from the Old Norse given name Kóri, which may in turn come from Old Irish Cuire, from cuire, a troop or company. The name's deeper origin is therefore uncertain. As a first name Corey has been used for boys in the US since 1919 and occasionally for girls, and it was most common in the 1980s.
Kóri (Old Norse, “personal name”)cuire (Old Irish, “troop, company”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Wiktionary: 'perhaps' from Old Irish.
Related names: Cory, Korey, Kori.
See also: Scandinavian names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Corey' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Corey popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 9,056 since 1945, 24 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #778 | 327 |
| 2020 | #530 | 539 |
| 2010 | #316 | 1,011 |
| 2000 | #149 | 2,607 |
| 1990 | #56 | 7,692 |
| 1980 | #68 | 4,437 |
| 1970 | #84 | 3,814 |
| 1960 | #458 | 303 |
| 1950 | #900 | 58 |
| 1940 | #2,925 | 7 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Corey, counting every spelling?
Corey is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #530 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #778 for Corey on its own. Together these spellings went to 569 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corey | 327 | #778 | 2,114 |
| Cory | 160 | #1,245 | 934 |
| Korey | 47 | #2,736 | 300 |
| Kory | 35 | #3,352 | 234 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Corey?
327 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Corey (0.09 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Corey born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 26 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Corey.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Corey?
About 173,200 people born in the US named Corey are alive today, with a median age of 38; half are between 31 and 47. That makes Corey mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Corey by state
How common Corey was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (3.0×), Louisiana (2.5×), South Carolina (1.9×), Maryland (1.9×), Massachusetts (1.8×). In 18 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Corey: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Corey, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Corey · Sibling names for Corey
Questions about the name Corey
What does Corey mean?
Corey is usually explained as “from Norse Kóri (meaning uncertain)”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Corey?
Corey was the 778th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 327 babies. Its best year was 1977, when it ranked 52nd; the most babies were born in 1989 (8,003). Over the last ten years it has moved down 366 places. More babies were named Corey in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Is Corey a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Corey in the US.
Where is Corey most popular?
In 2021–2025, Corey was most common in Mississippi (0.74 per 1,000 boys), followed by Louisiana and South Carolina.