Updated March 6, 2024

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Boy name origins & meanings

  • Old English: Round
  • Welsh: Pure
  • French: Cask; Short form of Cadence

What Does Cody mean and stand for?

The name Cody is of Irish origin and means "decent and helpful one." It is derived from both the Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh and Mac Óda.

Syllables: 2

Learn more baby name meanings to find out the significance of popular baby names. 

Boy name variations

Cade

Cade

+ 21% this year
Neutral
Common
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Caide

Caide

+ 100% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Caden

Caden

+ 1% this year
Neutral
Common
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Caiden

Caiden

- 4% this year
Masculine
Uncommon
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Cayden

Cayden

- 1% this year
Masculine
Common
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Kade

Kade

+ 10% this year
Neutral
Uncommon
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Kaden

Kaden

- 3% this year
Neutral
Common
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Kayde

Kayde

+ 7% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Codey

Codey

+ 40% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Codi

Codi

+ 21% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Codie

Codie

- 17% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Coty

Coty

- 10% this year
Masculine
Rare
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How Popular Is The Name Cody

Family name origins & meanings

  • Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh (see Cuddihy).
  • Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Óda ‘son of Óda’, a personal name of Germanic origin, introduced into Ireland by the Normans. This name was taken by a family in Kilkenny formerly known as Archdeacon.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

What Does the Name Cody Mean?

The name Cody means " helpful" or "pillow". Originally, Cody was used as a nickname for Dakota, but it has since gained popularity on its own. Cody is both a boy's name and a girl's name, remaining fairly popular for the last few decades.

How Popular is the Name Cody?

Cody is the number 312 most popular boys name in the US, according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. It was in the top 25 back in the 1990s but has been on a decline since. Cody fell out of the top 100 in 2006 but is still rather popular in the UK. 

Cody was once used more commonly as a nickname for the name Dakota but has since become a gender-neutral option for many families. A popular surname, it invokes images of one of the American frontiersmen, Buffalo Bill Cody.

However, it is the 30th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

Popularity of the Name Cody in the United States

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Cody was at its peak popularity in January 2019.

Cody was searched for most often in the following states:

  1. Wyoming
  2. Montana
  3. South Dakota
  4. Utah
  5. Nebraska

Famous People Named Cody and Cody in Pop Culture

Cody has been a popular name since the time of Buffalo Bill. It invokes images of singer Cody Simpson, actor Cody Linley, singer Cody Carson, wrestler Cody Rhodes, and YouTuber Cody Jones. Cody has been a popular name for celebrity children, as well, having been chosen by Robin Williams, Kathie Lee Gifford, Dee Snider, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Kenny Loggins. It has also been a popular choice for pop culture, appearing in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, True Romance, Agent Cody Banks, and American Gothic.

Cody Pairs Well with These Middle Names

Appears on

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Meaning and Origin of Cody