Nancy
/ˈnæn.si/noun
A female given name, originally a medieval pet form of Ann or Anne.
Did you know?Nancy began as a pet form of Ann/Anne, and in English it later became a standalone name so common that it even spawned the slang sense of a weak or effeminate man in the early 20th century.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Heb
Channah
“Grace, favor”
Greek and Latin
Grk/Lat
Anna
“A biblical name carried into the Christian tradition”
Middle English
English
Nan
“A familiar pet form of Ann”
16th Century
English
Nancy
“A diminutive or affectionate form of Ann/Nan”
Modern English
English
Nancy
“A female given name; also a slang term in some contexts”