Cortland
Boy name · #3967 in 2025 · Uniqueness 79/100
In 2025, 27 baby boys were named Cortland, placing it at #3967 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2641, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 boys born in 2025 was named Cortland.
The 112-year story
Cortland first appears in the Social Security records in 1913, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 62 boys were named Cortland — good for #2129 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 Cortland per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cortland against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cortland in class?
Cortland scores 79 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 Cortland will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cortland is most common
State-level data for Cortland is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Cortland
Statistically, parents drawn to Cortland tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Courtland, Dezmond, Creighton, Davidson, and Johndavid.
CourtlandDezmondCreightonDavidsonJohndavidRobinsonCalenChapman
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cortland | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #3949 |
| 2024 | 18 | #5241 |
| 2023 | 28 | #3883 |
| 2022 | 30 | #3691 |
| 2021 | 20 | #4780 |
| 2020 | 27 | #3811 |
| 2019 | 23 | #4337 |
| 2018 | 41 | #2893 |
| 2017 | 28 | #3781 |
| 2016 | 37 | #3111 |
| 2015 | 46 | #2641 |
| 2014 | 42 | #2805 |
| 2013 | 50 | #2461 |
| 2012 | 44 | #2716 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2129 |
| 2010 | 47 | #2579 |
| 2009 | 38 | #3045 |
| 2008 | 31 | #3486 |
| 2007 | 33 | #3313 |
| 2006 | 25 | #3888 |
| 2005 | 29 | #3389 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 35 | #2780 |
| 2002 | 43 | #2372 |
| 2001 | 34 | #2742 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cortland a popular boy name?
Cortland ranked #3967 among boys in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2641.
When was the name Cortland most popular?
Cortland peaked in 2011, when 62 American boys received the name (ranked #2129 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cortland?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American boys was named Cortland. It scores 79/100 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.