Nancy
Girl name · #965 in 2025 · Uniqueness 64/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Nancy scores 64 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nancy is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nancy is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Nancys were TX (34), CA (31), NY (24), PA (23), OH (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 64/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.