Entry № 1751 · English origin

Nancy Nancy — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ NAN-see /
Gender
Girl
Origin
English
Meaning
"Grace (peaked #6 in 1955; Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Drew)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 880
First recorded
Medieval (English)

A name that means "grace (peaked #6 in 1955; nancy pelosi, nancy drew)".

Nancy was originally a medieval pet form of Ann — from the Hebrew *Hannah* ("grace"). **A top-10 US baby name from 1936 to 1955, peaking at #6 in 1955**. **Nancy Pelosi (born 1940)** — the **first woman elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives** (2007); held the role twice (2007-2011, 2019-2023). **Nancy Reagan (1921-2016)** — First Lady (1981-1989), "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign. **Nancy Drew** — the teenage detective whose mystery series (1930-present) sold over 80 million copies and shaped generations of American girlhood.

Subject of the 1977 documentary *Nancy Drew, the Hidden Staircase*.

Grace. Nancy Pelosi was the first woman to wield the Speaker's gavel; Nancy Drew shaped American girlhood.

The name in its native script.

Nancy
Transliteration
Nancy
Pronunciation
/ ˈnæn.si /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Nancy stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 880 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 6 in 1955
Babies named Nancy · last year
300 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #6 NOW · #880

Nancys before her.

Real people
Nancy Pelosi
First woman US House Speaker.
born 1940
Nancy Reagan
US First Lady.
1921 – 2016
Nancy Wake
WWII Resistance heroine.
1912 – 2011
In fiction
Nancy Drew
Teenage detective series.
1930

Names connected to Nancy.

The number behind Nancy.

8

The Authority

Nancy reduces to eight — the number of Speaker of the House.

Why families chose this name.

"First woman Speaker. Five letters. Nancy."
Catherine · Mother of one · Baltimore