NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Cory

A Greek masculine name meaning "main man" or "crown".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Cory is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Cory popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1595, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 252 births.

This profile covers 3,130 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 6% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 3,478 living people in the UK are called Cory. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Cory ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 252 boys were registered as Cory.
  • Cory ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 2021.
  • About 3,478 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cory as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.8% of Cory registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1595

2024

Births in 2024

16

Latest year

Peak year

1996

252 births

Estimated living

3,478

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Cory

In England and Wales birth records, Cory has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 98.8% of registrations are for boys and 1.2% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

99% boys
Boys3,130 (98.8%)Girls39 (1.2%)

Cory registered for boys

  • Ranked #1,595 in 2024
  • 16 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 1996 (252 births)

Cory registered for girls

  • Ranked #4,137 in 2002
  • 3 girls registered in 2002
  • Peak: 1999 (9 births)

Meaning

What does Cory mean?

The name Cory has its origins in the Greek word "korios," meaning "son" or "young man." It first appeared in ancient Greece around the 5th century BC and was used as a diminutive form of names like Corinthos or Coriander.

Over time, the name spread throughout the Mediterranean region and eventually made its way to the British Isles. In the Middle Ages, the name took on various spellings, such as Cori, Corie, and Korie, but the modern spelling of Cory became more prevalent in the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cory can be found in the works of the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, who wrote a character named Corydon in his play "The Wasps" around 422 BC. However, it's unclear whether this was an actual name or a literary creation.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Cory. In the 17th century, Cory Townsend (1625-1701) was an English politician and Member of Parliament for West Looe. In the 19th century, Cory Winfield (1854-1912) was an American journalist and political activist known for his advocacy of women's suffrage.

Moving into the 20th century, Cory Aquino (1933-2009) was a prominent Filipino political figure who served as the 11th President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. Cory Unrau (1955-2007) was a Canadian actor best known for his roles in TV shows like "Due South" and "The X-Files."

More recently, Cory Monteith (1982-2013) was a Canadian actor and singer who gained fame for his role as Finn Hudson on the popular TV series "Glee." Sadly, he passed away at the young age of 31 due to a drug overdose.

While the name Cory has seen ebbs and flows in popularity over the centuries, its Greek roots and historical significance have ensured that it remains a recognizable and meaningful name in various cultures around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Cory over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Cory in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Cory, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 252 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
065130194259199620102024

Decades

Cory by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cory was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1307 115 5
2010s #620 658 10
2000s #243 1,526 10
1990s #167 831 4

Geography

Where Cory is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cory. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Cory ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 2021.

Scotland
8
Northern Ireland
6

Across the UK

Cory in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#404 in 2024

35 years of NRS records, 255 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#295 in 2021

19 years of NISRA records, 125 total registered

Related

Names similar to Cory

FAQ

Cory: questions and answers

How popular is the name Cory in the UK right now?

In 2024, Cory was ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.

When was Cory most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 252 babies registered as Cory in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Cory?

A Greek masculine name meaning "main man" or "crown".

How many people are called Cory in the UK?

A total of 3,130 babies have been registered as Cory across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 255 more in Scotland and 125 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Cory most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Cory ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #295 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.