How to say it
CO · dy
/ˈkoʊ.di/
Masculine
Cody
Helpful one
What it means
From the Irish surname Ó Cuidighthigh, 'descendant of the helpful one.'
Cody comes from the Irish surname Ó Cuidighthigh, 'descendant of the helpful one.' In America it picked up a strong frontier flavor from William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody and his Wild West show, and it became a hugely popular boys' name in the 1980s and 1990s. It reads cheerful and easygoing. Codie and Kody are the variant spellings.
Popularity over time
peaked at #24 in 1991, currently #318 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody gave it a Wild West flavor.
- Spelling
From an Irish 'helpful one' surname; Kody and Codie are variants.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Buffalo Bill Cody frontier scout and Wild West showman
Spelling variants
- Codey
- Kody
- Codie
Names with the same feeling
See Cody from another angle
By style