Coffy
A girl's name with 16 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Coffy is a two-syllable girl's name with a sharp, distinct sound — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. With only 16 recorded U.S. births, it is exceptionally rare — the kind of name most people encounter for the first time when they meet your child.
Coffy is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Coffy is best known as the name of the 1973 blaxploitation film starring Pam Grier, in which she played a nurse-turned-vigilante named Coffy. The film became a landmark of the genre, and Grier's performance made the name synonymous with fierce independence and unapologetic strength.
As a given name, Coffy is an extraordinary rarity — but its cultural resonance is outsized. It's a name that carries the whole weight of 1970s Black cinema with it, a piece of cultural history compressed into five letters.
EtymologyShow more
Coffy's linguistic roots are not definitively traced to a single tradition. Names that emerged in late-twentieth-century America were often created by blending sounds, respelling existing names, or combining elements from multiple languages — a form of linguistic creativity that makes pinning down a single origin difficult.
What the data does show: Coffy has 16 recorded U.S. births as a girl's name, with its sharp, distinct ending ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Coffy has 2+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1973.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16 | #6276 | — |
The Story of Coffy
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1973, Coffy is a Gen X staple. Girls named Coffy are most likely born between 1973 and 1974.
How rare is Coffy?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Coffy is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1973, peaked in the 1970s with 16 births that decade.
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(2 years, 1973–1974)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 8 | #6357 |
| 1973 | 8 | #6195 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coffy a boy's or girl's name?
When was Coffy most popular?
How popular is the name Coffy?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1973–1974