Clancy
Clancy is an Irish name coming from the Gaelic Mac Fhlannchaidh/Mac Fhlannchadha, meaning "Son of the red/ruddy warrior", or as a hypocorism for Clarence. The surname originated from two different families, one in Thomond and one in the present day County Leitrim.
Meaning & Origin of Clancy
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Clancy is an Irish name coming from the Gaelic Mac Fhlannchaidh/Mac Fhlannchadha, meaning "Son of the red/ruddy warrior", or as a hypocorism for Clarence. The surname originated from two different families, one in Thomond and one in the present day County Leitrim.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Clancy
As a girl name
Clancy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1921, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 24 Clancys were born — ranking #4,257 that year. As of 2026, Clancy ranks #7,385 for girls with 14 births, rising sharply (+24% over the past five years). In total, more than 600 Clancys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Clancy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1914, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 39 Clancys were born — ranking #3,112 that year. As of 2026, Clancy ranks #3,112 for boys with 39 births, rising sharply (+34% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Clancys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Clancy
Phonetically similar names — useful when Clancy is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clancy
What does the name Clancy mean?
How popular is Clancy in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Clancy most popular?
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About the name Clancy
Clancy is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Clancy's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,725. Use the chart and map above to compare Clancy's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
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- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.