Declining since 2014.
Popularity of Cortana since 2008
Babies named Cortana per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 19 |
| 2010s | 135 |
| 2020s | 44 |
Meaning & origin
Cortana is a modern invention, first recorded as a given name in 2008 after the AI character from the Halo video game series debuted in 2001. The name saw a small peak in 2015 but has since declined; it has never entered the top 1000. Its trajectory has been falling since 2014. With no pre-existing etymology, Cortana is a pure example of pop culture influencing naming trends, though it remains extremely rare. Parents who choose it likely do so for its sci-fi associations rather than any traditional meaning.
Cortana is a brand name created by Microsoft for the voice assistant in the Halo video game series, first appearing in 2001. The name was chosen arbitrarily, with no pre-existing etymological root. As a given name, it has been used very rarely since the late 2000s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cory
Sibling names for Cortana
Names that share Cortana's style, for a brother or sister.
