Nancy
Meaning: Its source is Ann, an English name meaning "Favored grace."
Origin: "Ann."
Languages: This girl's name is used in Dutch and English.
Nickname For: Hannah
Nicknames: Nan
Source Forms: Channah
Popularity: The name Nancy ranked 240th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 12th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name makes a strong showing in state popularity data of the 1960s, but makes few (if any) appearances on lists compiled after that period.
Narrative: Records clearly show the development of Nan as a playful variation of Ann. One might think what's true for Nan must be true for Nancy; however, the derivation of the longer name is not so clear.
In the Middle Ages, Annis (a form of Agnes) was very popular among the English and Scots. Some scholars believe Nancy developed from this name, entirely independent of Nan.
Arts and Music
- ''Nancy with the Laughing Face''
- This was a big hit for crooner Frank Sinatra (see list of Names in Song titles)
- Nancy Graves (born 1940)
American sculptor.
- Created Camels VI, VII, VIII (see list of 20th-century Contemporary Artists)
- Nancy Holt (born 1938)
American environmental sculptor.
- Created Dark Star Park (see list of 20th-century Contemporary Artists)
Leadership
- Nancy Hanks
American educator. Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts.
- 1977 National Council of Women''s Women of Conscience award winner for her support of diversity in the arts (see list of Women of Conscience Award winners)
- Nancy L. Johnson (born 1935)
American politician.
- Representative, R-Connecticut, 1983- (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Nancy Landon Kassebaum (born 1932)
American politician.
- Senator, R-Kansas, 1978-1997 (see list of Women in the Senate)
- Nancy Pelosi (born 1940)
American politician.
- Representative, D-California, 1987- (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Nancy Peretsman
- 13th Most Powerful Woman, EVP and Managing Director, Allen & Co. (see list of 2000 Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business)
- 9th Most Powerful Woman, EVP, Managing Director, Allen & Co. (see list of 1999 Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business)
- Nancy Wake
New Zealander pilot.
- Led raids into France in 1944 (see list of Miscellaneous Military Leaders)
- Nancy Ward (born 1738, died 1824)
- Woman warrior who sat on the Cherokee Council of Chiefs and acted as an ambassador and negotiator (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
Miscellaneous
- Nancy Brown
- 1963 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Nancy Bumpus
- 1937 Rose Queen (see list of Tournament of Roses, Rose Bowl Queens)
- Nancy Davis
- 1963 Rose Queen (see list of Tournament of Roses, Rose Bowl Queens)
- Nancy Fleming
- 1961 Miss America, representing Michigan (see list of Miss America Winners)
- Nancy Kneeland
- 1964 Rose Queen (see list of Tournament of Roses, Rose Bowl Queens)
- Nancy Lopez
American golfer.
- Former Girl Scout (see list of Former Girl Scouts)
- Anne Frances ''Nancy'' Reagan (born 1923)
American actress and first lady.
- Wife of Ronald Reagan, 40th President (see list of United States First Ladies)
- Nancy Silverton
American pastry chef; owner of California's La Brea Bakery and co-owner of Campanile restaurant.
- Co-author, with her husband, of Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton at Home: Two Chefs Cook for Family and Friends (see list of Chefs)
- Nancy Thorne
- 1952 Rose Queen (see list of Tournament of Roses, Rose Bowl Queens)
- Nancy Slaughter Walker
American soldier.
- Native American who rode with Quantrill''s Raiders during and after the U.S. Civil War (see list of Soldiers & Swashbucklers)
- Nancy Wilson (born 1937)
American singer.
- NPR''s Host, Jazz Profiles (see list of National Public Radio Hosts)
Science and Philosophy
- Nancy J. Currie (born 1958)
American astronaut and industrial engineer.
- Astronaut on Discovery (1995) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Nancy Jane Sherlock (born 1958)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Endeavor (1993) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- Nancy Wexler
American geneticist who helped develope a test for Huntington's Disease.
- President of the Hereditary Disease Foundation, 1969- (see list of Biological Scientists)
Sports
- Nancy Wynne Bolton
- 1937, 1940, 1946-48, 1951 Australian Open tennis champion (see list of Australian Open Tennis Champions)
- Nancy Greene
Canadian athlete.
- 1968 Olympic alpine skiing gold medal winner for Giant Slalom (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Downhill Skiing)
- Nancy Hogshead
American swimmer.
- Asthmatic (see list of Athletes Who Have Asthma)
- Nancy Kerrigan (born 1969)
American figure skater, best known for being the target of an attack by the ex-husband of fellow skater Tonya Harding.
- 1993 U. S. Figure Skating champion (see list of United States Figure Skating Champions)
- Nancy Lieberman-Cline
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Nancy Lopez
American golfer.
- 1978, 1985, 1989 Ladies'' Professional Golf Association champion (see list of LPGA Champions)
- 1978, 1985 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- Nancy Richey
American tennis player.
- 1968 French Open tennis champion (see list of French Open Tennis Champions)
- 1967 Australian Open tennis champion (see list of Australian Open Tennis Champions)
Stage and Screen
- Nancy Bradford
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Dianne Kay (see list of Characters on ''Eight is Enough'')
- Nancy Brill
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Cybill Shepherd (see list of Characters in the film Alice)
- Nancy Carroll
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Nancy Cartwright
- Voice of Bartholomew J. ''''Bart'''' Simpson (see list of Voices on ''The Simpsons'')
- Nancy Donner
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Meg Wittner (see list of Characters on ''Melrose Place'')
- Nancy Kelly (born 1921, died 1995)
American actress.
- 1955 Tony Award winner for her performance in The Bad Seed (see list of Tony Winners for Best Actress in a Play)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Nancy Lawrence Maitland
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Elayne Heilveil in 1976 and Meredith Baxter-Birney from 1976-80 (see list of Characters on ''Family'')
- Nancy Hughes McCloskey
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''As the World Turns'''' (see list of Characters on ''As The World Turns'')
- Nancy
Characters with this name appeared in films directed by Woody Allen.
- Portrayed by Susan Anspach (see list of Characters in the film Play It Again, Sam)
- Portrayed by Louise Lasser (see list of Characters in the film Bananas)
- Nancy
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Sandra Bernhard (see list of Characters on ''Roseanne'')
- Nancy Vawter
Actress.
- Portrayed Dorothy Wyler (see list of Actors on ''L.A. Law'')
- Nancy Walls
Comedienne.
- A cast member on ''''Saturday Night Live,'''' from 1995-1996 (see list of Saturday Night Live)
- Nancy Wilson (born 1937)
American singer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Nancy Drew
Fictional detective.
- Created by several authors using the pseudonym Carolyn Keene (see list of Fictional Detectives)
- Nancy Willard
- 1982 Newbery Medal winner, for A Visit to William Blake''s Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
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Teasing Nicknames:
- Nana
- Nancella
- Underpantsy Nancy
- Nurse Nancy
- Fancy Nancy
- Nanny
- Nanc Nanc with the Ants in her Pants
- Nanny Goat
- Nano
- Nancy Pants
- Fancy Pants Nancy
- Nancy the Ninny Goat
