Curtis

The first name Curtis, male, stands for 'the Polite' or 'the Knightly'. The meanings can be interpreted as 'polite, courteous' or 'courtly, belonging to the court'.

What does the name Curtis mean?

Curtis is a masculine first name meaning 'the Polite' or 'the Knightly'. These designations can encompass both 'polite, courteous' and 'courtly, belonging to the court'. Originally, Curtis is an English surname of Old French origin. The name arrived in England in the early Middle Ages with the Normans and is derived from the Old French word corteis or curteis, which means 'courtly, belonging to the court, polite, knightly'. In the 1950s, Curtis was also integrated into German naming conventions. Some less common spelling variants include Curtiz, Kurtis, and Kurtus. The short form of the name is Curt. In English-speaking countries, especially in the USA, Curtis remains very popular as both a first and last name.

Where does the name Curtis come from?

The origin of the name Curtis lies in Old French, where it is understood as a masculine first name meaning 'the Polite' or 'the Knightly'. The Old French term corteis or curteis stands for 'courtly, belonging to the court, polite, knightly'.

How do you pronounce Curtis?

The pronunciation of the name Curtis is clear and two-syllable. In German, it is usually pronounced as 'Cur-tis' [ˈkɜːtɪs] or Germanized as [ˈkʊʁtɪs]. The name begins with a strong vowel that gives it depth. The consonant combination '-rt-' creates tension in the middle, while the sharp 's' at the end provides a distinct finish. Curtis radiates modernity and self-confidence – it is striking and characterful.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Curtis enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 2,308th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2008 at 914th. In the past ten years, Curtis has been given as a first name about 100 times, which places it at 2,463rd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 2,122nd.

Nicknames & pet names

Curry / Curti / Curtl / Cuz

Famous people

• Curtis 50 cent Jakson (Rapper)
• Curtis Anthony Anderson (American philosopher)
• Curtis Bernhardt (American film director)
• Curtis Borchardt (American basketball player)
• Curtis Brown (American astronaut)
• Curtis Brown (American baseball player)
• Curtis Cokes (American boxer)
• Curtis Cross (American rapper)
• Curtis Deloatch (American football player)
• Curtis Dennis (American basketball player)
• Curtis DuBois Fuller (American jazz musician)
• Curtis Hasselbring (American jazz musician)
• Curtis Huppe (Canadian ice hockey player)
• Curtis Jobling (English writer)
• Curtis Joseph (Canadian ice hockey goaltender)
• Curtis L. Carter (American philosopher)
• Curtis Marsh (American football player)
• Curtis McClinton (American football player)
• Curtis Naughton (English rugby player)
• Curtis Nelson (British football player)