Cory

What does Cory mean?

Cory is a spelling variant of Corey, a first name taken from an English surname. The surname is traced to the Old Norse personal name Kóri, whose meaning is uncertain.

The spelling has a strong late twentieth-century American history. Cory Matthews in Boy Meets World and writer Cory Doctorow give it recognizable connections with television and science fiction.

From a surname to a first name

Corey developed as a given name from an English family name with an older personal-name origin. Cory keeps the same two-syllable pronunciation while shortening the written form.

The broader name family became more familiar during the 1960s, when Corey Baker appeared on the television series Julia. Cory later reached its own strongest American period in the 1980s.

Corey, Korey, and Kory are closely related spellings. Cori, Corie, and Kori occur among feminine forms in this group. Cory itself has been used for both boys and girls in American records.

Cory Matthews in Boy Meets World

Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, is the central character in Boy Meets World. The series began on ABC on September 24, 1993, following a young student through the complications of growing up.

His teacher Mr. Feeny also lives next door, making school and home life difficult to keep apart. As Cory moves into high school and later college, Feeny remains an important presence in the story.

Cory eventually marries Topanga Lawrence, played by Danielle Fishel. Their relationship carries into Girl Meets World, which premiered on Disney Channel on June 27, 2014.

In that continuation, Cory and Topanga are parents. Cory teaches history at his daughter Riley's school, moving from the student role of the earlier series to a position that echoes the adults who guided him.

Cory Doctorow and science fiction

Cory Doctorow gives the spelling a literary association. Born in Toronto, he is a science-fiction author, journalist, and technology activist whose books include the Little Brother series.

His work also ranges across novels such as Walkaway and nonfiction about technology and power. That combination of fiction and public discussion gives Cory a connection with writing that asks how technology shapes everyday life.

Doctorow was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2020. His career places the name in a different cultural setting from the family and school stories associated with Cory Matthews.

Pronunciation and sound

Cory is pronounced KOR-ee, with stress on the first syllable. Corey has the same pronunciation, and the choice between them concerns spelling rather than a different spoken name.

The opening hard c and final ee sound give it a compact two-syllable shape. Cory is normally used as a complete first name, reflecting its history as a transferred surname.

Cory in the United States

Cory reached its best American boys' rank, No. 59, in 1988. Its largest annual count came in 1989, with 6,450 babies. It ranked No. 723 in 2015 and No. 1,245 in 2025.

How popular is Cory?

In 2025, Cory ranked #1,245 among boys in the United States, with 160 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1924; its largest annual count was 6,450 in 1989. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.