A familiar French name with steady appeal.
A female given name.
Nancy is a girl's and boy's baby name with French and Hebrew roots, originally a pet form of Anne or Agnes — ultimately from the Hebrew Channah, meaning 'grace' or 'favor.'
Nancy was a U.S. top 5 name in the 1930s and 40s, representing the cheerful, wholesome ideal of mid-century American girlhood. Nancy Drew, the fictional teenage detective, gave the name a spirited, independent identity that still resonates.
Nancy was #289 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #921, but its charm endures.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,409 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 3,927 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 10,958 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 19,495 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 25,493 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 41,849 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 142,723 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 286,812 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 252,058 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 142,486 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 43,807 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 17,283 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 5,733 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 5,346 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 4,792 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 288 | #921 |
| 2023 | 281 | #942 |
| 2022 | 266 | #993 |
| 2021 | 279 | #946 |
| 2020 | 295 | #897 |
| 2019 | 298 | #895 |
| 2018 | 326 | #833 |
| 2017 | 314 | #872 |
| 2016 | 310 | #900 |
| 2015 | 345 | #813 |
| 2014 | 371 | #755 |
| 2013 | 411 | #688 |
| 2012 | 437 | #653 |
| 2011 | 541 | #537 |
| 2010 | 574 | #519 |
| 2009 | 667 | #464 |
| 2008 | 858 | #379 |
| 2007 | 903 | #362 |
| 2006 | 1,017 | #325 |
| 2005 | 1,017 | #318 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Nancy has also been given to 2,945 boys in the U.S. since 1889.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2024) · Methodology