Given name & surname
Nanny
“he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child)”·“a woman graced with God's favor”
In English use, Nanny is a diminutive of Anne. One Hebrew interpretation is “he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child).” Nanny is a variant of Nancy. In English use, Nancy carries the interpretation “a woman graced with God's favor.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Nanny is a diminutive of Anne. One Hebrew interpretation is “he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child).” Nanny is a variant of Nancy. In English use, Nancy carries the interpretation “a woman graced with God's favor.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Nanny is a diminutive of Anne. An origin associated with Anne is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Nanny is a diminutive of Ann. In English usage, Nanny is a diminutive of Anne.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1886. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nanny through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 53
- 0 boys · 53 girls
- Most popular year
- 1921
- 9 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 5 in 1938. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 9 in 1921. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 506 as a first name in 2020; 337 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.
Nanny’s family of names
In English usage, Nanny is a diminutive of Ann. Nanny has a related form in Nancy. In English usage, Nanny is a diminutive of Anne.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Nanny has relatives in 3 languages.
4 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Nanny
- Nanny CedercreutzSwedish-Finnish writer1866–1950
- Nanny Larsén-TodsenSwedish singer (1884-1982)
- Nanny StillFinnish glass artist and designer (1926-2009)
- Nanny WesterlundFinnish theatre actress1895–1989
- Nanny LambrechtGerman writer (1868–1942)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nanny, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Fanny
“French” · “garland”
>99% girls
Nettie
“a woman graced with God's favor”
>99% girls
Neva
“from the place covered with snow”
>99% girls
Alys
“noble” · “kind”
>99% girls
Linnie
“one who is soft and beauti-”
>99% girls
Arietta
“a short but beautiful melody”
>99% girls
Alyce
“noble” · “kind”
>99% girls
Nelle
“the shining light” · “the son of Neil; the son of a champion”
>99% girls