Fun Facts About the Name Nancy
- A favorite of earlier generations: Nancy appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 4 separate runs, totaling 80 years. Its last run lasted 60 consecutive years, from 1919 through 1978.
- More than 1 million babies named Nancy: U.S. records list 1,007,381 babies given the name Nancy from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,945 boys received the name Nancy - about 1 boy for every 341 girls.
What Does the Name Nancy Mean?
Nancy is an English feminine name that began as a pet form of Ann. Ann comes from the Hebrew name Ḥannah (חַנָּה), which is connected with the root חנן (ḥ-n-n), meaning "to be gracious" or "to show favor." The customary meaning of the name is "grace" or "favor." The English pet form Nan was extended with the ending -cy to form Nancy. Nancy therefore inherits its meaning from Ann rather than having a separate Hebrew origin of its own.
Nancy Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name Ḥannah passed into Greek as Ἄννα and Latin as Anna, giving English Ann and Anne. In medieval England, Nan became a common pet form of Ann. Nancy developed from Nan with the affectionate ending -cy and was used as an independent given name by the 18th century.
The name appears in the 18th-century song "Nancy Dawson," named for a London dancer, and later in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist (1838), where Nancy is a character. These uses came after the name was established as a given name. The French city of Nancy has a separate place-name origin and is not the source of the English given name.
How Popular is the Name Nancy?
Nancy has a rich multi-era history in the U.S. top 100, spanning 80 total years and enjoying its modern revival from 1919 to 1978.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #967 | 265 | 0.0165% |
| 2024 | #921 | 288 | 0.0179% |
| 2023 | #942 | 281 | 0.0175% |
| 2022 | #993 | 266 | 0.0162% |
| 2021 | #946 | 279 | 0.0170% |
| 2020 | #897 | 295 | 0.0183% |
| 2019 | #895 | 298 | 0.0178% |
| 2018 | #833 | 326 | 0.0192% |
| 2017 | #872 | 314 | 0.0182% |
| 2016 | #900 | 310 | 0.0175% |
| 2015 | #813 | 345 | 0.0193% |
| 2014 | #755 | 371 | 0.0208% |
| 2013 | #688 | 411 | 0.0234% |
| 2012 | #653 | 437 | 0.0248% |
| 2011 | #537 | 541 | 0.0308% |
| 2010 | #519 | 574 | 0.0323% |
| 2009 | #464 | 667 | 0.0363% |
| 2008 | #379 | 858 | 0.0454% |
| 2007 | #362 | 903 | 0.0470% |
| 2006 | #325 | 1,017 | 0.0535% |
| 2005 | #318 | 1,017 | 0.0550% |
| 2004 | #289 | 1,150 | 0.0626% |
| 2003 | #268 | 1,179 | 0.0645% |
| 2002 | #229 | 1,369 | 0.0762% |
| 2001 | #223 | 1,420 | 0.0789% |
| 2000 | #232 | 1,378 | 0.0759% |
| 1999 | #226 | 1,421 | 0.0801% |
| 1998 | #207 | 1,480 | 0.0838% |
| 1997 | #197 | 1,525 | 0.0876% |
| 1996 | #172 | 1,825 | 0.1041% |
| 1995 | #160 | 2,001 | 0.1138% |
| 1994 | #144 | 2,189 | 0.1226% |
| 1993 | #156 | 1,986 | 0.1098% |
| 1992 | #142 | 2,185 | 0.1185% |
| 1991 | #125 | 2,498 | 0.1332% |
| 1990 | #131 | 2,385 | 0.1256% |
| 1989 | #128 | 2,343 | 0.1271% |
| 1988 | #121 | 2,347 | 0.1318% |
| 1987 | #126 | 2,235 | 0.1286% |
| 1986 | #116 | 2,426 | 0.1414% |
| 1985 | #108 | 2,609 | 0.1516% |
| 1984 | #113 | 2,487 | 0.1477% |
| 1983 | #113 | 2,520 | 0.1508% |
| 1982 | #106 | 2,808 | 0.1658% |
| 1981 | #101 | 2,912 | 0.1746% |
| 1980 | #111 | 2,806 | 0.1690% |
| 1979 | #107 | 2,865 | 0.1785% |
| 1978 | #97 | 3,045 | 0.1988% |
| 1977 | #89 | 3,220 | 0.2100% |
| 1976 | #87 | 3,281 | 0.2239% |
| 1975 | #82 | 3,510 | 0.2408% |
| 1974 | #78 | 3,891 | 0.2651% |
| 1973 | #77 | 3,945 | 0.2705% |
| 1972 | #63 | 4,818 | 0.3167% |
| 1971 | #52 | 6,212 | 0.3734% |
| 1970 | #50 | 7,062 | 0.4040% |
| 1969 | #45 | 7,902 | 0.4684% |
| 1968 | #39 | 8,960 | 0.5462% |
| 1967 | #37 | 10,268 | 0.6219% |
| 1966 | #33 | 11,730 | 0.6932% |
| 1965 | #32 | 12,257 | 0.6944% |
| 1964 | #26 | 14,695 | 0.7755% |
| 1963 | #23 | 16,267 | 0.8440% |
| 1962 | #19 | 18,024 | 0.9165% |
| 1961 | #16 | 20,728 | 1.0270% |
| 1960 | #15 | 21,892 | 1.0827% |
| 1959 | #14 | 23,078 | 1.1405% |
| 1958 | #12 | 24,819 | 1.2338% |
| 1957 | #11 | 27,516 | 1.3456% |
| 1956 | #11 | 28,784 | 1.4337% |
| 1955 | #9 | 30,024 | 1.5355% |
| 1954 | #9 | 30,269 | 1.5587% |
| 1953 | #8 | 30,620 | 1.6276% |
| 1952 | #7 | 31,739 | 1.7116% |
| 1951 | #7 | 30,346 | 1.6851% |
| 1950 | #6 | 29,617 | 1.7289% |
| 1949 | #7 | 29,248 | 1.7095% |
| 1948 | #7 | 29,412 | 1.7323% |
| 1947 | #7 | 32,445 | 1.8302% |
| 1946 | #7 | 28,345 | 1.8039% |
| 1945 | #7 | 21,456 | 1.6415% |
| 1944 | #7 | 23,217 | 1.7493% |
| 1943 | #9 | 23,987 | 1.7191% |
| 1942 | #8 | 23,328 | 1.7271% |
| 1941 | #8 | 20,883 | 1.7285% |
| 1940 | #7 | 19,737 | 1.7260% |
| 1939 | #7 | 19,722 | 1.7984% |
| 1938 | #7 | 18,951 | 1.7175% |
| 1937 | #7 | 17,074 | 1.6046% |
| 1936 | #8 | 16,754 | 1.6104% |
| 1935 | #9 | 14,544 | 1.3870% |
| 1934 | #10 | 13,520 | 1.2947% |
| 1933 | #11 | 11,869 | 1.1776% |
| 1932 | #13 | 10,948 | 1.0259% |
| 1931 | #17 | 10,036 | 0.9426% |
| 1930 | #24 | 9,068 | 0.8054% |
| 1929 | #32 | 6,872 | 0.6155% |
| 1928 | #43 | 5,537 | 0.4801% |
| 1927 | #56 | 5,022 | 0.4212% |
| 1926 | #57 | 4,566 | 0.3852% |
| 1925 | #60 | 4,325 | 0.3553% |
| 1924 | #69 | 3,989 | 0.3194% |
| 1923 | #75 | 3,673 | 0.3045% |
| 1922 | #78 | 3,518 | 0.2929% |
| 1921 | #87 | 3,323 | 0.2695% |
| 1920 | #95 | 2,982 | 0.2489% |
| 1919 | #100 | 2,628 | 0.2325% |
| 1918 | #102 | 2,510 | 0.2168% |
| 1917 | #98 | 2,411 | 0.2230% |
| 1916 | #102 | 2,166 | 0.2074% |
| 1915 | #102 | 1,987 | 0.2020% |
| 1914 | #102 | 1,575 | 0.2068% |
| 1913 | #102 | 1,290 | 0.2066% |
| 1912 | #108 | 1,078 | 0.1931% |
| 1911 | #110 | 827 | 0.1977% |
| 1910 | #105 | 811 | 0.2045% |
| 1909 | #118 | 610 | 0.1757% |
| 1908 | #109 | 651 | 0.1947% |
| 1907 | #114 | 582 | 0.1827% |
| 1906 | #113 | 557 | 0.1886% |
| 1905 | #118 | 535 | 0.1835% |
| 1904 | #115 | 508 | 0.1845% |
| 1903 | #109 | 527 | 0.2012% |
| 1902 | #103 | 571 | 0.2162% |
| 1901 | #102 | 519 | 0.2168% |
| 1900 | #99 | 673 | 0.2245% |
| 1899 | #107 | 475 | 0.2038% |
| 1898 | #106 | 546 | 0.2110% |
| 1897 | #96 | 553 | 0.2361% |
| 1896 | #98 | 527 | 0.2215% |
| 1895 | #93 | 566 | 0.2423% |
| 1894 | #98 | 515 | 0.2310% |
| 1893 | #88 | 538 | 0.2527% |
| 1892 | #81 | 591 | 0.2783% |
| 1891 | #83 | 523 | 0.2820% |
| 1890 | #84 | 512 | 0.2689% |
| 1889 | #86 | 470 | 0.2635% |
| 1888 | #76 | 582 | 0.3258% |
| 1887 | #71 | 511 | 0.3500% |
| 1886 | #72 | 492 | 0.3404% |
| 1885 | #67 | 527 | 0.3961% |
| 1884 | #68 | 520 | 0.4030% |
| 1883 | #71 | 412 | 0.3668% |
| 1882 | #67 | 439 | 0.4071% |
| 1881 | #59 | 429 | 0.4665% |
| 1880 | #62 | 410 | 0.4506% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #12,629 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #10,476 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #8,076 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #9,928 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #7,648 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #10,791 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #8,931 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #5,019 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #4,461 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1993 | #4,384 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #3,079 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1991 | #2,447 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1990 | #2,472 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1989 | #1,945 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1988 | #2,923 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #1,888 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1986 | #2,579 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1985 | #2,481 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1984 | #1,710 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 1983 | #2,187 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1982 | #2,040 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #2,469 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1980 | #2,340 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1979 | #2,081 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1978 | #2,252 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1977 | #2,043 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 1976 | #3,041 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #2,336 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1974 | #2,252 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1973 | #2,816 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #2,132 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1971 | #1,587 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1970 | #1,687 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1969 | #1,315 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1968 | #1,305 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1967 | #1,306 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 1966 | #1,443 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1965 | #1,181 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 1964 | #1,366 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 1963 | #1,160 | 45 | 0.0022% |
| 1962 | #1,042 | 54 | 0.0026% |
| 1961 | #1,166 | 46 | 0.0022% |
| 1960 | #1,040 | 55 | 0.0026% |
| 1959 | #1,058 | 54 | 0.0025% |
| 1958 | #1,077 | 51 | 0.0024% |
| 1957 | #1,007 | 57 | 0.0026% |
| 1956 | #1,090 | 49 | 0.0023% |
| 1955 | #1,060 | 51 | 0.0025% |
| 1954 | #1,026 | 54 | 0.0026% |
| 1953 | #1,051 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 1952 | #901 | 62 | 0.0032% |
| 1951 | #1,003 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 1950 | #861 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 1949 | #1,316 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1948 | #1,120 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1947 | #931 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 1946 | #834 | 63 | 0.0039% |
| 1945 | #792 | 61 | 0.0045% |
| 1944 | #794 | 63 | 0.0046% |
| 1943 | #794 | 69 | 0.0048% |
| 1942 | #803 | 65 | 0.0047% |
| 1941 | #793 | 63 | 0.0051% |
| 1940 | #721 | 72 | 0.0062% |
| 1939 | #692 | 74 | 0.0067% |
| 1938 | #626 | 91 | 0.0082% |
| 1937 | #635 | 86 | 0.0081% |
| 1936 | #773 | 63 | 0.0061% |
| 1935 | #950 | 45 | 0.0043% |
| 1934 | #927 | 47 | 0.0046% |
| 1933 | #930 | 46 | 0.0046% |
| 1932 | #999 | 44 | 0.0042% |
| 1931 | #1,123 | 37 | 0.0036% |
| 1930 | #1,487 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1929 | #1,509 | 24 | 0.0022% |
| 1928 | #1,633 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1927 | #1,732 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1926 | #1,885 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1925 | #2,391 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1924 | #2,316 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1923 | #2,722 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1922 | #2,212 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1921 | #3,774 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1920 | #4,131 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #3,638 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1918 | #3,289 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #2,061 | 15 | 0.0016% |
| 1915 | #3,286 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #2,582 | 8 | 0.0012% |
| 1912 | #1,837 | 9 | 0.0021% |
| 1901 | #1,161 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1889 | #859 | 7 | 0.0063% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
