Curtis
Curtis comes from the Old French "curteis," meaning courteous or refined — derived from the Latin "cohors" (court, retinue). The name began as a medieval English nickname for someone with courtly manners. As a first name, Curtis is essentially modern — it was rare before 1900. Curtis was a top-200 American name from 1950 to 1990, peaking at #82 in 1962. Curtis (the filmmaker Curtis Hanson, 1945-2016, who directed "L.A. Confidential" (1997)) gave the name a cinematic charge. Curtis (the jazz musician Curtis Mayfield, 1942-1999, whose "Superfly" (1972) is one of the greatest soul albums) gave the name a musical dimension. I find Curtis has a slightly formal quality — the "C" opening is firm, and the "rt" cluster gives it weight. The name has been outside the US top 300 since 2010. Curtis is a male name of Old French origin that means "Courteous, refined". Formal, mid-century, and a little musical. The name sounds capable. Curtises tend to be composed. US peaked #82 in 1962. Outside top 300 since 2010. Well-known people named Curtis include Curtis Mayfield (musician), Curtis Hanson (director), Curtis (Old French word), Curtis (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Curtis include Curt (short form), Kurtis (variant), Curtiss (variant), Kurt (German related).