Nancy
Girl name · #965 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Nancy? In official American birth records, Nancy has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 265 baby girls were named Nancy, placing it at #965 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #812, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,792 girls born in 2025 was named Nancy.
Babies named Nancy per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Nancy first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 410 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 32,445 girls were named Nancy — good for #7 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nancy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nancy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nancy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nancy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nancy is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nancy is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Nancy is most common in WI (0.5 per 1,000), PA (0.5 per 1,000), NY (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Nancy is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Nancy
Statistically, parents drawn to Nancy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sally, Linda, Beverly, Judy, and Joyce.
SallyLindaBeverlyJudyJoyceSandraBarbaraBetty
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nancy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 265 | #965 |
| 2024 | 290 | #914 |
| 2023 | 281 | #941 |
| 2022 | 267 | #991 |
| 2021 | 279 | #945 |
| 2020 | 295 | #896 |
| 2019 | 298 | #893 |
| 2018 | 326 | #833 |
| 2017 | 314 | #870 |
| 2016 | 310 | #899 |
| 2015 | 345 | #812 |
| 2014 | 371 | #755 |
| 2013 | 412 | #687 |
| 2012 | 437 | #651 |
| 2011 | 541 | #537 |
| 2010 | 574 | #519 |
| 2009 | 667 | #463 |
| 2008 | 858 | #379 |
| 2007 | 903 | #362 |
| 2006 | 1,017 | #325 |
| 2005 | 1,017 | #317 |
| 2004 | 1,151 | #289 |
| 2003 | 1,179 | #267 |
| 2002 | 1,369 | #229 |
| 2001 | 1,420 | #223 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nancy?
In official American birth records, the name Nancy first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 410 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Nancy a popular girl name?
Nancy ranked #965 among girls in 2025 with 265 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #812.
When was the name Nancy most popular?
Nancy peaked in 1947, when 32,445 American girls received the name (ranked #7 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nancy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,792 newborn American girls was named Nancy. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.