Girl · #4,342 in 2026

Nanny

A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern nannies, like other domestic workers, may live in or out of the house, depending on their circumstances and those of their employers.

  • English
Current Rank
#4,342
Peak Rank
#3,400 (1921)
Total Babies
53
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1886
First Year
1938
Last Year
1921
Peak Year
#3400
Peak Rank
53
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nanny

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern nannies, like other domestic workers, may live in or out of the house, depending on their circumstances and those of their employers.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
Origin & history
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, nannies were often employed by higher-income households. They were also known as nurses; some were wet nurses who would breastfeed the infant in place of the mother. Children often slept and played in a nursery , a suit of rooms over which a nanny had authority. In some households, nannies had assistants known as nursemaids or nurserymaids. Because of their deep involvement in raising the children of the family, nannies were often remembered with great affection and treated more kindly than other servants. Nannies were distinct from governesses , who provi

The Story of Nanny

American parents first put Nanny on the record books as a baby girl name in 1886, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 9 Nannys were born — ranking #3,400 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 49% of all recorded Nannys. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1938 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 53 Nannys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Nanny

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nanny. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Nanny

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nanny 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 Nanny

What does the name Nanny mean?
A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern nannies, like other domestic workers, may live in or out of the house, depending on their circumstances and those of their employers.
What is the origin of the name Nanny?
Nanny has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Nanny in 2026?
In 2026, Nanny ranks #4,342 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Nanny most popular?
Nanny reached its peak popularity in 1921, ranking #3,400 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Nanny a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nanny is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Nanny?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nanny include Parthena, Annye, Ethna. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Nanny?
Common variants and related forms of Nanny include Anissa, Ann, Anna, Anne, Annie, Hannah. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Parthena
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Annye
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Ethna
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Rafaelita
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Ivor
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Cozie
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Severina
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About the name Nanny

Nanny is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 53 births in the dataset. Nanny's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #3,400. Use the chart and map above to compare Nanny's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.