How popular is the baby name Nan in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Nan.
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Country singer Dolly Parton was born to parents Avie Lee and Robert Lee Parton in Tennessee 1946. She was the fourth of a dozen children: six boys and six girls. The names of all twelve, in order, are:
Things that have since been named after Dolly include a cloned sheep, a celebrity baby, and a Tennessee amusement park.
Last month, Marion Times columnist Dan Brawner wrote an essay about the Alexa in which he asked: “Are we training a new generation to give orders to servants?”
It’s a good question. Lots of us make demands of AI assistants as if they’re servants. No need to be polite to technology, right?
But I’m curious how this might affect the names of the assistants. Looking at history, we can point to many female names that fell out of favor as soon as they became linked to lower class activities (e.g., servitude, prostitution). Examples include Abigail, Joan, Nan/Nanny, Jill, and Parnel.
Will society come to see AI assistant names like Alexa and Siri as “servant” names over time? If so, will this stigma influence baby names — maybe even long after the original devices/technology are gone?
Sources:
In June of 1982, the Toledo Blade ran a short article about two local brothers who “enjoy the distinction of having initials which spell their names.” One was Thomas Owen Matzinger (T.O.M.), the other was James Irvin Matzinger (J.I.M.). Their dad Mike said it was “just as well” that he didn’t have any more kids, because he couldn’t think of any other sets of names to fit the pattern.
My guess is that Mike was joking, because there are several other sets of initials that could work with an M-surname like Matzinger, one of which, T.I.M., is just a letter away from T.O.M.
In fact, there are at least a couple of combinations that would work with every type of surname.
So today, in honor of the Matzingers of Toledo, I’ve come up with a long list of name-spelling initials. They’re sorted by third initial (that is, the first letter of the last name) so you can scroll straight to the set that matches up with your own surname.
Enjoy!
| Surname starts with: | Potential full initials (& example combo): |
|---|---|
| A | A.D.A. (Adelaide Diane A.) A.N.A. (Anastasia Nadine A.) A.S.A. (Asa Scott A.) A.V.A. (Ava Virginia A.) B.E.A. (Beatrix Elaine A.) E.V.A. (Eva Veronica A.) G.I.A. (Gia Idonea A.) I.D.A. (Idabelle Daria A.) I.N.A. (Ina Nigella A.) I.R.A. (Ira Ralph A.) I.S.A. (Isabel Simone A.) K.I.A. (Kia Ianthe A.) L.E.A. (Leah Elizabeth A.) M.I.A. (Mia Imelda A.) N.I.A. (Nia Ilona A.) O.D.A. (Odalys Delfina A.) O.R.A. (Ora Ruth A.) U.M.A. (Uma Magnolia A.) U.N.A. (Una Normina A.) |
| B | D.E.B. (Deborah Ethel B.) J.E.B. (Jeb Evan B.) L.I.B. (Libbie Ione B.) R.O.B. (Robert Orville B.) S.E.B. (Sebastian Everly B.) S.Y.B. (Sybil Yvette B.) T.A.B. (Tabitha Araminta B.) Z.E.B. (Zebulon Ezekiel B.) |
| C | B.E.C. (Becky Eowyn C.) M.A.C. (Mackenzie Anne C.) N.I.C. (Nicole Isabelle C.) V.I.C. (Victor Ivan C.) Z.A.C. (Zackary Arlo C.) |
| D | J.E.D. (Jedidiah Easton D.) R.O.D. (Rodney Orrin D.) T.E.D. (Theodora Eugenia D.) Z.E.D. (Zedekiah Ezra D.) |
| E | A.B.E. (Abraham Benjamin E.) A.C.E. (Ace Corbin E.) E.V.E. (Eve Violet E.) F.A.E. (Fae Adina E.) I.K.E. (Isaac Keith E.) J.O.E. (Joseph Owen E.) L.E.E. (Lee Ethan E.) M.A.E. (Maebelle Alice E.) M.O.E. (Morris Oscar E.) R.A.E. (Raelene Alicia E.) S.U.E. (Susan Ursula E.) Z.O.E. (Zoe Ocean E.) |
| F | A.L.F. (Alfred Leonard F.) D.U.F. (Duffy Ultan F.) J.E.F. (Jeffrey Elliott F.) |
| G | M.E.G. (Megan Emiliana G.) P.E.G. (Peggy Elise G.) R.E.G. (Reggie Elmo G.) R.O.G. (Roger Olav G.) |
| H | A.S.H. (Ashton Samuel H.) |
| I | A.B.I. (Abigail Bailey I.) A.L.I. (Alison Layla I.) A.M.I. (Ami May I.) A.R.I. (Ariana Rafaela I.) A.V.I. (Avi Vincent I.) E.D.I. (Edith Daisy I.) E.L.I. (Elijah Logan I.) E.V.I. (Evie Venetia I.) J.O.I. (Joi Olivia I.) K.A.I. (Kai Alexander I.) O.L.I. (Oliver Lennox I.) |
| J | R.A.J. (Rajesh Ajay J.) |
| K | M.A.K. (Makayla Ashley K.) O.A.K. (Oakley Atlas K.) |
| L | C.A.L. (Callum Audley L.) D.E.L. (Delaney Estelle L.) G.I.L. (Gilbert Ishmael L.) H.A.L. (Harry Archibald L.) L.I.L. (Lillian Iva L.) M.A.L. (Malcolm Angus L.) M.E.L. (Melanie Eloisa L.) M.O.L. (Molly Odette L.) S.A.L. (Sally Angelica L.) S.O.L. (Solomon Osborn L.) V.A.L. (Valerie Annette L.) W.I.L. (Willy Ingo L.) Z.E.L. (Zelda Erin L.) |
| M | C.A.M. (Cameron Aidan M.) D.O.M. (Dominic Orson M.) J.E.M. (Jemima Eleanor M.) J.I.M. (James Irvin M.) K.I.M. (Kimberly Imogene M.) L.E.M. (Lemuel Emerson M.) P.A.M. (Pamela Alys M.) R.A.M. (Ramsey Archer M.) S.A.M. (Samuel Aaron M.) S.I.M. (Simon Isidore M.) T.A.M. (Tammy Anita M.) T.I.M. (Timothy Isaac M.) T.O.M. (Thomas Owen M.) |
| N | A.N.N. (Annie Nuala N.) B.E.N. (Benjamin Ellis N.) C.Y.N. (Cynthia Yelena N.) D.A.N. (Daniel Avery N.) D.O.N. (Donovan Oliver N.) F.I.N. (Finley Ivor N.) J.A.N. (Janice Andrina N.) J.O.N. (Jonathan Octavian N.) K.E.N. (Kenneth Eric N.) L.E.N. (Leonard Earl N.) L.Y.N. (Lynnette Yasmin N.) N.A.N. (Nancy Azalea N.) R.E.N. (Renato Elian N.) R.O.N. (Ronald Ormond N.) V.A.N. (Vanessa Athena N.) W.I.N. (Winifred Inez N.) Z.E.N. (Zenobia Evelyn N.) |
| O | F.L.O. (Florence Lily O.) L.E.O. (Leo Elton O.) |
| P | C.A.P. (Caprice Amity P.) K.I.P. (Kip Indigo P.) |
| Q | J.A.Q. (Jaquan Anthony Q.) R.A.Q. (Raquel Alaiah Q.) |
| R | G.A.R. (Gareth Alfie R.) |
| S | C.A.S. (Caspian Atticus S.) G.U.S. (Gustavo Ulises S.) J.E.S. (Jessica Esther S.) L.E.S. (Lester Edward S.) R.U.S. (Russell Upton S.) W.E.S. (Wesley Elwood S.) |
| T | A.R.T. (Arthur Roland T.) C.A.T. (Catherine Aveline T.) D.O.T. (Dorothy Olive T.) M.A.T. (Matthew Alastair T.) N.A.T. (Nathan Arnold T.) P.A.T. (Patricia Ainsley T.) |
| U | L.O.U. (Louisa Ophelia U.) P.R.U. (Prudence Rhoda U.) S.T.U. (Stuart Tucker U.) T.R.U. (Trudie Rose U.) |
| V | B.E.V. (Beverly Evangeline V.) L.I.V. (Livia Indiana V.) N.E.V. (Neville Eldon V.) V.I.V. (Vivian Ingrid V.) |
| W | L.A.W. (Lawson Amos W.) L.E.W. (Lewis Edgar W.) |
| X | B.A.X. (Baxter Andrew X.) D.A.X. (Dax Alec X.) D.E.X. (Dexter Edison X.) J.A.X. (Jaxon Antony X.) L.E.X. (Lexie Eliza X.) M.A.X. (Maximus Alvin X.) P.A.X. (Pax Amelia X.) R.E.X. (Rex Elias X.) R.O.X. (Roxanna Opal X.) T.E.X. (Tex Emmanuel X.) |
| Y | A.M.Y. (Amy Michelle Y.) G.U.Y. (Guy Urban Y.) I.V.Y. (Ivy Verity Y.) J.A.Y. (Jay Adam Y.) J.O.Y. (Joyce Ondina Y.) K.A.Y. (Katherine Addison Y.) M.A.Y. (May Augusta Y.) R.A.Y. (Raymond Adrian Y.) R.O.Y. (Royce Oberon Y.) S.K.Y. (Skylar Kerry Y.) |
| Z | H.E.Z. (Hezekiah Ellery Z.) J.E.Z. (Jezebel Eulalia Z.) L.I.Z. (Lizzie Iris Z.) K.I.Z. (Kizzy Isla Z.) R.O.Z. (Rosalind Olga Z.) |
Can you come up with other good ones? If so, please leave a comment!
Source: “So Named.” Toledo Blade 29 Jun. 1982: P-1.
Image: Dab szypulkowy by Joanna Boisse under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Most baby name books and websites define Nancy as “grace” or “favor.” Why? Because they call Nancy a form of Anne, and Anne is defined as “grace” or “favor.”
The more I learn about my own name, though, the more I question this assumption.
It’s true that Nancy has long been used as form of Anne. But it wasn’t originally used in this way.
Here’s the story.
In the Middle Ages, Annis was a common female name. It was a vernacular form of Agnes (which can be traced back to the ancient Greek word hagnos, meaning “pure, chaste”).
Phrases like “mine Annis” and “thine Annis” eventually gave rise to names like Nanse and Nansie.
Mine Annis, thine Annis, became my Nannis, my Nanse (Nance), thy Nannis, thy Nanse (Nance); and Nanse, Nance, Nanze, with the usual diminutiv, became Nansie, and speld Nancie, and now usually Nancy.
Then two things happened.
First, the name Annis fell into disuse. “With the disappearance of the form Annis, the connection of Nancy with Agnes was forgotten.”
Second, in the late 1600s, the names Nan and Nanny — very common diminutives of Anne — became slang for “prostitute.” In their place, parents began using Nancy.
[Interesting coincidence: Nan and Nanny were derived from phrases like “mine Anne” and “thine Anne,” much like the way Nancy was derived from Annis.]
So, as Nancy’s link to Agnes faded, its link with Anne grew stronger. As a result, people saw Nancy as a diminutive of Anne and defined it accordingly.
But is the definition correct? (Is there a such thing as a “correct” definition in cases like this?)
How would you define Nancy?
Sources:
Update, 8/12/2020: Here are some extra tidbits about the name Nancy from the amateur genealogy website What’s in a Name:
