Fun Facts About the Name Clancy
- More than 2 thousand babies named Clancy: U.S. records list 2,011 babies given the name Clancy from 1880 through 2025. Even 585 girls received the name Clancy - about 1 girl for every 2 boys.
What Does the Name Clancy Mean?
Clancy is an Irish surname, from Irish Gaelic Mac Fhlannchaidh. The Mac element means "son," and Fhlannchaidh is the lenited genitive form of the personal name Flannchadh, so the surname is a patronymic meaning "son of Flannchadh." That personal name is traditionally explained as a compound of Old Irish flann, "red" or "ruddy," and cath, "battle"; the customary sense is often given as "red warrior" or "red battle."
Clancy Name History & Origins
Clancy comes from the Gaelic Irish surname Mac Fhlannchaidh. In medieval Ireland, hereditary surnames formed with Mac ("son of") became fixed among leading families; the Mac Fhlannchaidh were a learned family of the Dál gCais, later associated with County Clare and the O'Briens of Thomond, and were hereditary poets to that ruling family. English-language records anglicized the name in forms such as Clancy, MacClancy, Glancy, and Clancey, often dropping the Mac. As a given name, Clancy is a later use of the surname in English-speaking countries. The name appears in Banjo Paterson's 1889 poem "Clancy of the Overflow," a literary use that is not evidence of its origin.
How Popular is the Name Clancy?
Clancy has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #1,734 in 1955.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,476 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #8,027 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #8,580 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #7,355 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #10,456 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #8,505 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #9,887 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #9,299 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #8,916 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #8,493 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #12,085 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #12,189 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #11,216 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #17,457 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #8,734 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #9,932 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #11,669 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #18,136 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #11,845 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #12,670 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #10,300 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #7,476 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #8,631 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #8,978 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #8,306 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #9,313 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #5,963 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1998 | #5,623 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1997 | #7,875 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #6,127 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1995 | #5,261 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1994 | #5,295 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #4,284 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #8,209 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #7,517 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #6,191 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #9,900 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #9,468 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #11,657 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #6,696 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #6,102 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #8,340 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #8,287 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #9,313 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #6,285 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #7,069 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #5,962 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #5,660 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1975 | #6,056 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #5,058 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #4,183 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1972 | #4,569 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #7,552 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1921 | #5,251 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,592 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2024 | #3,220 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2023 | #3,429 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 2022 | #4,733 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2021 | #3,752 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2020 | #4,446 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2019 | #4,023 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2018 | #4,776 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #3,790 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2016 | #5,835 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #4,098 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #3,467 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2013 | #4,831 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #5,289 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #5,716 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #5,080 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #6,876 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #4,568 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 2007 | #4,398 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2006 | #4,245 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #4,347 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #7,065 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #3,644 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2002 | #3,934 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2001 | #5,432 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #3,655 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1999 | #5,365 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #3,032 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1997 | #4,089 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1996 | #4,210 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #3,327 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #3,486 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #3,063 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #3,240 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1991 | #2,481 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1990 | #2,877 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1989 | #2,552 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #2,872 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #3,365 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #2,527 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1985 | #2,851 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1984 | #2,983 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1983 | #3,439 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1982 | #3,735 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #4,586 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #3,123 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #2,597 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1978 | #3,245 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #3,897 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #3,511 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #2,656 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1974 | #2,377 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1973 | #2,884 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #2,171 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1971 | #2,297 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #3,567 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #2,898 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #2,597 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #2,808 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #3,290 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #2,286 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1964 | #2,692 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1963 | #2,126 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #2,701 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #3,139 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #2,335 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1959 | #2,435 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #3,602 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #3,630 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,592 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #1,734 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1954 | #3,914 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #2,564 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1952 | #1,950 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1951 | #2,695 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #1,893 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1949 | #1,957 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #2,818 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #3,809 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #3,042 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,669 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #3,624 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,200 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1940 | #2,510 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #3,762 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1932 | #3,439 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #4,092 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #3,121 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #3,846 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #2,953 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #4,309 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #3,958 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #3,523 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1921 | #4,447 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #3,904 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1918 | #4,283 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1915 | #3,471 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1914 | #2,978 | 6 | 0.0009% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Clancy Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Clancy's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Clancy's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.