Corey
Corey Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
/ˈkɔɹ.i/
Meaning of Corey: Corey derives from the Old Irish "Corra" or the Old Norse "Kori," and scholars debate which root dominates. The Irish etymology connects to "coire," meaning a cauldron or hollow - a geographic feature name referring to a hollow in hills. The Norse theory links it to the personal name "Kori," brought to Ireland and Scotland through Viking settlement. Both origins were in play in medieval Gaelic-speaking regions.
According to Etymonline, "corrie" survives in Scottish English as a geographical term for a circular hollow on a hillside - the same root that gives us the Irish "coire." This landscape connection was common in Celtic naming, where features of the land became personal names through a person's association with a place.
Corey arrived in the US through Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries. According to SSA records, the name rose sharply in the 1960s and 1970s, becoming genuinely mainstream American rather than specifically ethnic. It peaked in the early 1970s within the US top 50 for boys, driven by pop culture visibility and the broader Irish-American naming revival of that era.
What Does Corey Mean? Origin & Etymology
SSA figures show 402 births in 2024, a steep decline from its peak decades. Corey follows the pattern of many Irish-American names that dominated mid-20th-century naming - Kevin, Brian, Sean, Patrick - and have since faded as the cultural distinctiveness of Irish heritage became less salient in American identity.
The name works for both boys and girls in American usage - Corey, Cori, and Cory have all appeared on the SSA female list - but the masculine usage remains dominant. Variant spellings include Cory and Kory, with Corey being the most common form in SSA records throughout its peak decades.
How Popular Is Corey?
Numerology & Symbolism of Corey
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Corey – Similar Names & Alternatives
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Frequently Asked Questions about Corey
What does the name Corey mean?
The name Corey originates in Old Irish Gaelic. Irish names frequently reference natural elements—rivers, landscapes, animals—or carry meanings tied to early Celtic mythology and the warrior tradition of early Irish literature.
How popular is the name Corey in the United States?
According to SSA records, Corey ranked #678 for boy names in the United States, with 402 births recorded in the most recent annual count. The name hit its highest SSA rank in 2024. It has held a consistent place in US naming statistics across multiple decades.
Where does the name Corey come from?
The name Corey comes from Irish. It entered English use through the linguistic and cultural channels typical of Irish-origin names—whether through religious texts, migration, or the prestige associated with classical learning. Today it is recognized as a boy’s name across the English-speaking world.