Nancy
Say it: NAN-see/ˈnænsi/
GirlMeans pet form of Agnes and Ann5 letters2 syllables
#99
in Ireland (2025)
48
babies in 2025
#99
best rank (2025)
524
babies since 1965
Up 177
10-year rank change
Nancy through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48 | #99 |
| 2024 | 34 | #136 |
| 2023 | 32 | #150 |
| 2022 | 33 | #156 |
| 2021 | 20 | #233 |
| 2020 | 23 | #197 |
| 2019 | 24 | #203 |
| 2018 | 16 | #276 |
| 2017 | 27 | #189 |
| 2016 | 23 | #208 |
| 2015 | 18 | #276 |
| 2014 | 16 | #304 |
| 2013 | 13 | #357 |
| 2012 | 14 | #355 |
| 2011 | 7 | #554 |
| 2010 | 8 | #512 |
| 2009 | 4 | #742 |
| 2008 | 10 | #431 |
| 2007 | 9 | #433 |
| 2006 | 8 | #433 |
| 2005 | 6 | #461 |
| 2004 | 7 | #414 |
| 2003 | 7 | #403 |
| 2002 | 3 | #620 |
| 2001 | 8 | #335 |
| 2000 | 5 | #413 |
| 1999 | 3 | #527 |
| 1997 | 10 | #304 |
| 1996 | 3 | #534 |
| 1995 | 6 | #384 |
| 1994 | 3 | #502 |
| 1993 | 3 | #516 |
| 1992 | 3 | #522 |
| 1991 | 5 | #423 |
| 1990 | 4 | #446 |
| 1986 | 4 | #458 |
| 1985 | 6 | #386 |
| 1984 | 5 | #414 |
| 1983 | 4 | #476 |
| 1981 | 3 | #533 |
| 1980 | 4 | #483 |
| 1978 | 3 | #522 |
| 1977 | 7 | #369 |
| 1976 | 4 | #429 |
| 1974 | 3 | #490 |
| 1972 | 3 | #471 |
| 1971 | 3 | #466 |
| 1970 | 3 | #447 |
| 1968 | 5 | #327 |
| 1965 | 4 | #325 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Nancy mean?
Pet form of Agnes and Ann
English, a medieval pet form of Annis (Agnes), later also of Ann.
Say it right
NANsee
The story of Nancy
Nancy started life as a pet name in medieval England. It grew out of Annis, an old English form of Agnes, and was later used as a pet form of Ann as well. One explanation for the opening N is that “mine Ancy” ran together into “Nancy”.
By the eighteenth century it was a name in its own right. Robert Burns gave it to the woman addressed in his 1792 song “Ae Fond Kiss”.
For most of the CSO records Nancy was given to only a handful of Irish girls a year. That has changed quickly. In 2015 it was number 276, and it reached number 99 in 2025, its best place yet, with 48 girls. In Northern Ireland it was number 96 in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Nancy (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Nancy (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Nancy | 48 | 524 |
In Northern Ireland
#96 in 2025 with 21 babies. Best rank #95 (2020); 232 babies since 2004.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.