Nancy

Meaning of Nancy

Nancy began life as a playful nickname for Anne—rooted in the Hebrew Hannah, “grace”—but like a spirited señorita at a fiesta, she soon spun away from chaperones and claimed center stage as her own dazzling given name. Over the centuries she’s sashayed from medieval England to colonial America, finally exploding like a piñata of popularity in mid-20th-century U.S. nurseries (top-20 in the swinging ’60s) before easing into today’s laid-back, vintage-chic groove around the 600s. She carries a handbag full of lively associations: the razor-sharp teen sleuth Nancy Drew, the ever-poised First Lady Nancy Reagan, and the trail-blazing Speaker Nancy Pelosi—proof that this “grace” can pack plenty of grit. Pronounced NAN-see, the name sounds like a quick burst of laughter, and it still turns heads with its warm, approachable sparkle, much like a fresh salsa that’s equal parts sweet tomato and kicky jalapeño. In short, Nancy is an old soul with fast feet—gracious by definition, bold by reputation, and forever ready to dance across the decades.