Where does the name Nancy come from?

Nancy is a girl name of English origin.

Is Nancy a boy or a girl name?

Nancy is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Nancy are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Nancy in 2023?

Nancy ranks #942 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 32,502 babies.

How do you pronounce Nancy?

Nancy is pronounced NAN-see (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Nancy?

Nancy is also written as Nan, Nance, Nanci.

A name from English · Girl

Nancy

Originally a medieval pet form of Ann (and of Agnes), ultimately from Hebrew Hannah meaning 'grace, favor'. Independent since the 18th century and a defining mid-20th-century American name.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

1,003,893 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

281 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

NOriginally a medieval pet form of Ann (and of Agnes), ultimately from Hebrew Hannah meaning 'grace, favor'. Independent since the 18th century and a defining mid-20th-century American name.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Nancy".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Nan Most common Nance Nanci

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Nancy.

N
Nancy Reagan (First Lady)
N
Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House)
N
Nancy Drew (fictional detective)

Quick answers

People often ask about Nancy.

What does the name Nancy mean?: Nancy means originally a medieval pet form of Ann (and of Agnes), ultimately from Hebrew Hannah meaning 'grace, favor'. Independent since the 18th century and a defining mid-20th-century American name.
Where does the name Nancy come from?: Nancy is a girl name of English origin.
Is Nancy a boy or a girl name?: Nancy is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Nancy are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Nancy in 2023?: Nancy ranks #942 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 32,502 babies.
How do you pronounce Nancy?: Nancy is pronounced NAN-see (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Nancy?: Nancy is also written as Nan, Nance, Nanci.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.