Cody is a name of Native American origin, specifically from the Crow tribe. The name Cody is derived from the Crow word "Kodzi," which means "cloud." It was popularized by two notable figures: William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody and his cousin, Nathan Franklin Cody.
William F. Cody, born in 1846, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. He earned the nickname "Buffalo Bill" for his hunting skills and later went on to create the famous Wild West show called "Buffalo Bill's Wild West." His cousin Nathan Franklin Cody, born around 1850, was also a scout and served as a guide for the U.S. Army.
The name Cody gained popularity in the United States during the late 19th century due to these two men's fame. It was further popularized by William F. Cody when he named his daughter Irma Ermine Geraldine Cody after his mother, Geri (short for Jerusha), and later added "Ermine" and "Geraldine" to the mix. This created some confusion about whether the name Cody is male or female.
Today, Cody is a unisex name, with its popularity varying by country and time period. It is more commonly used as a boy's name in the United States, where it has consistently ranked among the top 1000 names since the mid-20th century. However, it also appears in the Social Security Administration's list of popular girl's names.
In conclusion, Cody is a name with Native American roots that gained popularity through notable figures like Buffalo Bill Cody and his cousin Nathan Franklin Cody. While historically it has been more commonly used for boys, today it is considered a unisex name.
The name Cody has had an interesting journey in terms of popularity over the years in the United States. Starting with just five births each in 1926 and 1934, it was not a common name during those times.
However, things started to change in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1945, there were seven births with the name Cody, which doubled to 14 in just two years (1946-1947). This growth continued into the 1950s, reaching a peak of 21 births in 1960.
The popularity of the name Cody kept increasing throughout the 1960s and 1970s. By 1978, there were 158 births, which was a significant jump from previous years. This high number was repeated in 1979 as well.
However, the real surge in popularity came in the late 1970s and early 1980s. From 211 births in 1982 to a peak of 253 in 1988, Cody was one of the most popular boys' names during this period.
After the mid-1990s, the popularity of the name started to decline. It dropped from 141 births in 1995 to just 26 in 2000. This downward trend continued into the early 2000s, with only around 30 births per year.
From 2007 onwards, the number of Cody births has remained relatively steady, ranging between 20 and 30 births annually until 2016, when there were 31 births. Since then, it has fluctuated slightly but has generally stayed within this range.
As of 2022, a total of 5,118 babies have been named Cody in the United States since records began, demonstrating its enduring popularity despite fluctuations over time.