Girl · English (from Greek via Middle English) · International
Nancy
NancySay it NAN-see
- Meaning today
- Grace, gracious
- Original meaning
- "probably a pet form of Ancy, from Middle English Annis (Agnes)" Online Etymology Dictionary
- Say it
- NAN-see
- Other spellings
- Nancie, Nanci
Nancy
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Nancy meaning
Nancy is an international girl's name of English origin (from Greek via Middle English).
Meaning today
Grace, gracious
Original English (from Greek via Middle English) meaning
"probably a pet form of Ancy, from Middle English Annis (Agnes)"
Source: Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com) · entry Nancy · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
Nancy has been an English pet name since the Middle Ages. Name lists usually give it the meaning "grace", treating it as a form of Ann, from Hebrew Hannah. The Online Etymology Dictionary gives a different history: Nancy is probably a pet form of Ancy, a diminutive of Annis, the Middle English form of Agnes, and was only later linked with Ann. Agnes comes from Greek Hagnē, "pure, chaste", the name of St Agnes, a young Roman martyr. So "grace" is the popular meaning, and "pure" the meaning the history points to. Nancy is well known in India and is said NAN-see.
References: Online Etymology Dictionary, Nancy · Online Etymology Dictionary, Agnes
Famous namesakes
- Nancy Drew, girl detective of the American mystery novels
Popularity abroad
- #967 United States, girls 2025 (down 51 from 916 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #78 England and Wales, girls 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Nancy · Nancie · Nanci