coupland was born on december 30, 1961, at royal canadian air force base "rcaf station baden-soellingen" (later cfb baden-soellingen) in baden-söllingen, west germany, the second of four sons to douglas charles thomas coupland, a medical officer in the royal canadian air force, and homemaker c. janet coupland, a graduate in comparative religion from mcgill university. in 1965, the coupland family relocated to west vancouver, british columbia, canada, where coupland's father opened private family medical practice at the completion of his military tour.