Chancey is a unique and distinctive given name of American origin. It is a variant spelling of the name Chancy, which is itself a variant of the French name Chanceaux. The name Chanceaux is derived from the Old French word "chance", meaning "luck" or "fortune". Therefore, the name Chancey can be interpreted to mean "fortunate" or "lucky".
The name Chancey has a long history in America, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 17th century. It was brought to the United States by French Huguenot settlers who fled religious persecution in their homeland and settled in colonies such as South Carolina and Louisiana.
Today, Chancey is still relatively rare as a given name, but it continues to be used by families with French or American roots who wish to honor their heritage or simply choose an unusual and memorable name for their child. Overall, the name Chancey has a unique and interesting origin story that reflects its connection to luck and fortune.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Chancey has seen a varied number of births annually in the United States over the past century and a half.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the name Chancey was given to five babies each year in 1883, 1885, 1888, 1892, and 1893. The number of births began to increase in the 1910s, with eight births recorded in both 1913 and 1914, followed by a peak of 17 births in 1917.
The name's popularity continued to fluctuate throughout the mid-20th century. There were periods of higher birth counts, such as 37 births in 1980 and 53 births in 1978, but also years with significantly lower numbers, like five births in 1964 and six births in 1963.
In the more recent decades, the number of babies named Chancey has remained relatively low, with a total of 1211 births recorded since 1883. The highest recent birth count was in 1978, while the most recent years (2017 to 2021) saw between five and seven births each year.
Overall, while Chancey has not been one of the most popular names in the United States, it has maintained a steady presence throughout history, with some peaks and valleys in popularity.