How to say it
COO · per
ˈku.pɚ
Masculine
Cooper
Barrel maker
What it means
An Old English occupational surname. Coopers were the craftsmen who made barrels, casks, and tubs, a specialized trade in the wine and ale economies of medieval England.
Cooper spent centuries as a surname for the people who built the containers everything else moved in. The shift to a first name is recent, tracking with the broader surname-as-first-name trend that also lifted Carter, Hudson, Mason, and Grayson. It entered the US top hundred for boys in 2007 and has held in the top fifty since. Often shortened to Coop in daily life.
How to spell Cooper
The standard spelling is Cooper. Common variants include Couper, Cooperr, but Cooper is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #27 in 2025, currently #27 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Coop is the only common short, and it tends to stick from childhood.
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.
- Anderson Cooper CNN journalist (Cooper as surname)
- Bradley Cooper Actor and filmmaker, A Star Is Born and Maestro
- Alice Cooper Rock musician, theatrical shock-rock pioneer
- Sheldon Cooper The Big Bang Theory's lead, played by Jim Parsons
Spelling variants
- Couper
- Cooperr
Names with the same feeling
See Cooper from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Cooper mean?
- An Old English occupational surname. Coopers were the craftsmen who made barrels, casks, and tubs, a specialized trade in the wine and ale economies of medieval England.
- What does Cooper mean in Old English?
- In Old English, Cooper means "Barrel maker." Cooper spent centuries as a surname for the people who built the containers everything else moved in. The shift to a first name is recent, tracking with the broader surname-as-first-name trend that also lifted Carter, Hudson, Mason, and Grayson. It entered the US top hundred for boys in 2007 and has held in the top fifty since. Often shortened to Coop in daily life.
- How do you pronounce Cooper?
- Cooper is pronounced ˈku.pɚ. Say it as COO-per, with the stress on the "coo" syllable.
- How do you spell Cooper?
- The standard spelling is Cooper. Common spelling variants include Couper, Cooperr.
- Is Cooper a boy or girl name?
- Cooper is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Cooper?
- Cooper ranked #27 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.