Kurt is of German origin, meaning "short" or "curly-haired". It gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century and has since become a well-known name worldwide. The name has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history, including American musician Kurt Cobain, leader of the grunge band Nirvana, and Austrian-Hungarian composer Kurt Weill, known for his contributions to the Broadway stage.
The name Kurt saw its peak popularity between 1964 and 1969 with a high of 14 births in 1969. After that, the number of annual births named Kurt fluctuated but remained mostly below double digits until the late 70s to early 80s when it dipped even further, with only 5 or fewer births per year from 1983 onwards.