Cortez
Boy name · #1655 in 2025 · Uniqueness 75/100
Cortez ranks #1655 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 101 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1042, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,822 boys born in 2025 was named Cortez.
The 143-year story
Cortez first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 346 boys were named Cortez — good for #532 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Cortez per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cortez against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cortez in class?
Cortez scores 75 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Cortez will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cortez is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cortez is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Cortezs were TX (12), MI (8), CA (7), LA (6), GA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Cortez
Statistically, parents drawn to Cortez tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nestor, German, Rashad, Marquis, and Deangelo.
NestorGermanRashadMarquisDeangeloMarkusEfrainMarquez
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cortez | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 101 | #1654 |
| 2024 | 77 | #1997 |
| 2023 | 84 | #1875 |
| 2022 | 104 | #1652 |
| 2021 | 145 | #1300 |
| 2020 | 124 | #1398 |
| 2019 | 147 | #1271 |
| 2018 | 149 | #1238 |
| 2017 | 176 | #1104 |
| 2016 | 162 | #1175 |
| 2015 | 192 | #1042 |
| 2014 | 195 | #1035 |
| 2013 | 229 | #907 |
| 2012 | 195 | #1011 |
| 2011 | 195 | #995 |
| 2010 | 214 | #940 |
| 2009 | 227 | #909 |
| 2008 | 200 | #985 |
| 2007 | 205 | #959 |
| 2006 | 200 | #937 |
| 2005 | 223 | #832 |
| 2004 | 185 | #917 |
| 2003 | 195 | #877 |
| 2002 | 163 | #970 |
| 2001 | 205 | #813 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cortez a popular boy name?
Cortez ranked #1655 among boys in 2025 with 101 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1042.
When was the name Cortez most popular?
Cortez peaked in 1990, when 346 American boys received the name (ranked #532 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cortez?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,822 newborn American boys was named Cortez. It scores 75/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.