I'm Irish and Cody from Castlecomer, Kilkenny, Ireland, the birthplace of the name.  When the English first invaded Ireland 900 years ago, they still were Normans, or French speaking Vikings. The first Cody was Odo (old Norsk for Otto = rich) Archdeacon. In Gaelic or Irish, Archdeacon is impossible to pronounce, so his descendants were called Son of Odo or Mac Odo. Anglicization has turned that into Cody, the C being what's left of the Mac. T