Kurt

The first name Kurt is an old German short form of the name Konrad and means 'the bold advisor'. At the beginning of the 20th century, Kurt was one of the most sought-after first names in Germany.

What does the name Kurt mean?

Kurt is a historical short form of Konrad and means 'the bold advisor'. At the beginning of the 20th century, the name was very popular but lost its appeal over time. It has only been experiencing a certain revival in popularity since the early 2000s, particularly in the context of the trend towards traditional German first names. Occasionally, the spelling Curt is also used. There are some less common variants such as Curd, Kurth, and Curth. Other forms and short forms of Kurt include Cord and Cordt, as well as the Danish name Kort. Notable personalities with this name include the German writer Kurt Tucholsky and the American musician Kurt Cobain (Nirvana). In Turkish, Kurt is also a common surname and means 'wolf'.

Where does the name Kurt come from?

The first name Kurt originates as a short form of Konrad from the Middle High German name Kuonrat. This is composed of the Old High German words 'kuoni' for 'bold, brave, courageous' and 'rat' for 'counsel, advisor'. The components are: kuoni = bold, brave, courageous (Old High German) and rat = counsel, advisor (Old High German).

How do you pronounce Kurt?

The pronunciation of Kurt is concise and monosyllabic. In German, the name is generally pronounced as 'Kurt' [kʊʁt]. The name combines a dark, short vowel with a clear, hard ending. The dense consonant cluster gives the name a powerful note. Kurt appears strong and determined - straightforward, sober, and present.

When is the name day of Kurt?

The name day for Kurt is celebrated on April 4 and November 26.

Popularity

Kurt has been well established as a male first name in Germany since the late 19th century. For many decades, it was found among the top ranks of popularity, especially in the early decades of the 20th century. Kurt reached its peak between the 1910s and the early 1930s, achieving its highest rank of 3rd place in 1919. During this time, Kurt was one of the classic and popular names. From the mid-20th century onward, it began to decline.

Nicknames & pet names

Dietzekurt / Jo-Kurt / Kordi / Kudde / Kuddel / Kuddi / Kuddl / Kudi / Kurde / Kurli / Kurtchen / Kurti / Kurtie / Kurtilein / Kurtistan / Kurtl / Kurtland / Kurtle / Kurtus / Kurtzilla / Kutte / Kutti / Küde / Kürtu / Yokurt

Similar first names

Kurd

Famous people

• Kurt Asle Arvesen (Norwegian cyclist)
• Kurt Beck (politician)
• Kurt Bernard (footballer from Costa Rica)
• Kurt Bong (German jazz musician)
• Kurt Brüning (geologist from Germany)
• Kurt Cobain (guitarist, singer, and songwriter)
• Kurt Drawert (German writer)
• Kurt Felix (Swiss television presenter)
• Kurt Georg Kiesinger (former German chancellor)
• Kurt Gödel (German mathematician)
• Kurt Haws (American football player)
• Kurt Held (author)
• Kurt Hennes (German badminton player)
• Kurt Heynicke (German writer)
• Kurt Hummel (character from the TV series 'Glee')
• Kurt Jaggberg (Kurt Jagersberger) (Austrian actor, screenwriter, and director)
• Kurt Juster (German actor)
• Kurt Kaiser (pianist from Germany)
• Kurt Krömer (Alexander Bojcan) (German comedian)
• Kurt Lauxmann (footballer from Germany)