A two-stage electrochemical synthesis method was developed to deposit copper nanoparticles onto hydroxyapatite-coated titanium. During the first-stage of electrochemical reaction, a submicron thick hydroxyapatite coating was deposited on the titanium cathode followed by electrochemical reduction of copper ions to form copper nanoparticles on the surface of the hydroxyapatite coating. Reaction parameters, including reaction time, deposition current density, copper ion precursor, and concentration were optimized to uniformly deposit nanosized copper particles. The size of the nanoparticles and overall copper content were controlled by adjusting reaction parameters in the second synthesis stage. This method, therefore, offers a route to adjust copper content in electrolytically deposited hydroxyapatite coatings independently from the hydroxyapatite coating reaction. The morphology and composition of the coatings were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The crystalline structure and the surface composition of the material were studied using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The topography and surface roughness of the coatings were measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The quantity of copper ions released in the bacterial growth medium was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and was associated with the antimicrobial activity of copper-hydroxyapatite coating. Antibacterial properties of these materials were investigated by culturing Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) in the presence of the coatings. The antibacterial effect of the copper-hydroxyapatite coatings was enhanced by increasing the copper content. The data further suggested that the antibacterial activity was a result of the elution of copper ions from the coatings. The copper nanoparticles acted as a reservoir for copper ions, providing sustained antibacterial activity. The incorporation of nanosized copper into bioactive hydroxyapatite coatings will offer protection against post-surgical infection of orthopedic and dental implants, to reduce or eliminate the use of prophylactic antibiotics that are known to cause antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains to develop.