The term Khoury means "priest" in Levantine Arabic.
Although most popular amongst the population in Lebanon, the name can also be found within Christian communities in Syria, Palestine, and Jordan.
It is common for a family to keep the Khoury surname for generations past the life of the priest.
In the Eastern Christian Churches, "Khoury" or "El-Khoury" means Corepiscopos, which is an honorary rank above a priest.
Due to the Lebanese diaspora, which started in the late 19th century, the name has acquired different variants in different countries and is also uncommonly spelled as El Khouri, El Khoury, Elcure, Khoory, Elkhori, Elkouri, Kouri, Couri, Koury, Coury, Kourie, Koory, Koorey, Kuri, Khuri, Khury, Kury, Xouri, Curi, Cury, Coorey, Courey, Korey, Kory, Corey, Chory, Correy and in Latin America as Xuri, Kure, Cure, Correa, Juri, Jury, Cura, Jure, Eljure, Menjura, Menjure, Menjuren, Aljure and Alcuri