Courtney

Courtney is both a surname and a given name of English origin. It derives from the medieval French surname Courtenay, which itself comes from a place name in France. The exact meaning of the root is uncertain, but it is often associated with a court or a courtyard. Over time, Courtenay was anglicized to Courtney, a form that spread in English-speaking countries through migration and family lineages.

As a given name, Courtney is unisex but has been most commonly used for girls in the United States since the mid-20th century, with peak popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. Variants include Courtenay and Courteney; Courtney remains the most common spelling in North America today.

Notable people with the given name Courtney include Courtney Love (born 1964), American musician and actress; Courtney Thorne-Smith (born 1967), American actress; Courtney B. Vance (born 1960), American actor; and the performer Courtney Act (Shane Jenek, born 1982). The actress Courteney Cox (born 1964) uses a variant spelling with an extra e.

Courtney is also encountered as a surname and in historical records, borne by individuals in English-speaking countries. In addition to people, the name appears in various cultural and fictional contexts, reflecting its enduring presence across communities and media.