Kourtney

Kourtney is a variant spelling of the name Courtney. Like its root form, Kourtney saw a decline in popularity in the 1990s but experienced a brief revival after 2007, largely due to the television personality Kourtney Kardashian (born 1979), who rose to fame as a star of the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Etymology and History

The name Courtney, from which Kourtney is derived, originates from an aristocratic English surname. The surname Courtney has two possible etymological sources: it may come from the French place name Courtenay (a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, which is itself from Latin curtus meaning "short"), or it may derive from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose." Originally an uncommon unisex name in America, Courtney began rising in popularity for girls in the mid-1960s and experienced a surge after 1973, possibly influenced by a television movie character played by Natalie Wood. It peaked at rank 17 in the United States in 1990.

Notable Bearers

The most famous bearer of the name Kourtney is Kourtney Kardashian Barker (born 1979), an American media personality and businesswoman. She and her family began starring in Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2007, which led to spin-offs such as Kourtney and Kim Take Miami and Kourtney and Kim Take New York. The series concluded after 20 seasons in 2021, and the family continued with a new series titled The Kardashians on Hulu in 2022. Kardashian is also involved in retail and fashion with her sisters, launching clothing lines, fragrances, and a book, Kardashian Konfidential (2010). She launched her own website, Poosh, in 2019 and a health brand, Lemme, in 2022.

• Meaning: Variant of Courtney, ultimately from a place name or nickname meaning "short"
• Origin: English surname, adopted as a first name
• Type: Feminine first name
• Usage: English-speaking countries, especially the United States