Courtney

Courtney began as a surname associated with French places called Courtenay before becoming a given name. Those places are associated with the old personal name Curtenus, connected with the Latin for short. A separate surname route comes from a Norman nickname meaning short nose. These are explanations of an inherited family name, rather than descriptions of a child who carries it today.

Courtney has been used for both boys and girls, with its surname background helping explain that flexibility. Music provides examples across that history: jazz musician Courtney Pine and singer Courtney Love both carry it. Courteney is another established spelling, while Courtney keeps the version most readily recognizable to many English-speaking readers.