Given name & surname · also French
Chauncey
“an office holder; keeper of records”·“having good fortune”
Chauncey is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “an office holder; keeper of records” and “having good fortune”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “an office holder; keeper of records” and “having good fortune”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French and English naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Chauncey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 10,193
- 9,685 boys · 508 girls
- Most popular year
- 1981
- 188 babies
- 2025
- 23
- #4,422 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −23%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 100% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 23 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,422 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 22.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 173 in 1981. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,801 as a first name in 2020; 1,306 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Chauncey’s family of names
In English usage, Chauncey has an affectionate form in Chance. Chauncey has a related form in Chauncy. Chauncey has a related form in Chauncie.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Chauncey
- Chauncey BillupsAmerican basketball player and coachborn 1976
- Chance M. VoughtAmerican aviation pioneer (1890–1930)
- Chauncey DepewAmerican politician (1834–1928)
- Chauncey LeopardiAmerican actorborn 1981
- Chauncey SparksAmerican politician (1884-1968)
- Chauncey WrightAmerican philosopher and mathematician (1830–1875)
- Chauncey GoodrichAmerican lawyer and politician from Connecticut (1759-1815)
- Chauncey BeadleCanadian botanist (1866-1950)
- Chauncey OlcottAmerican actor and musician (1858–1932)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Chauncey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tanner
“one who tans hides” · “one who makes leather”
95% boys · 5% girls
Curtis
“one who is courteous; polite”
>99% boys
Hunter
“a great huntress and provider” · “a great huntsman and provider”
93% boys · 7% girls
Nelson
“the son of Neil; the son of a champion”
99% boys · 1% girls
Goddard
“one who is divinely firm”
77% boys · 23% girls
Jefferson
“son of JEFFREY” · “the son of Jeffrey”
>99% boys
Osborn
“a bear of God”
>99% boys
Goodwin
“a beloved friend”
>99% boys