girls' name · peaked 1947

Nance

A diminutive of the female given name Nancy.

Every Nance since 1913 — 771 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys
Rank 2025
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Nance
Peak year
1947
32 babies
All-time total
771
since 1913

The story of Nance

Nance is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1913, 771 American babies have been named Nance. Its peak came in 1947, when 32 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nance stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Nance year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1995
1990
1985
1980
1975
1970 7 #6,820
1965 7 #5,640
1960 19 #2,882
1955 23 #2,320
1950 29 #1,786
1945 10 #3,067
1940 14 #2,273
1935 13 #2,402
1930 16 #2,181
1925
1920 5 #5,540
1915
1910
1905
1900
1895
1890
1885
1880

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Nance mean?

A diminutive of the female given name Nancy.

How popular is the name Nance in 2025?

Nance did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Nance?

771 babies have been named Nance in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nance most popular?

Nance peaked in 1947, when 32 newborns received the name.

Is Nance a boy or girl name?

Nance is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Nance rising or falling?

Nance has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Nance

Compare Nance with similar names →