Tracy Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: TRAY-see //ˈtreɪ.si//
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Latin: 'to be bold'; English: 'place name'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Tracy has its roots in the Old French name "Tracy," which is derived from the Latin "Tracius," meaning "from Thrace." Thrace was an ancient region located in Southeast Europe, encompassing parts of modern-day Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. The name entered the English language through Norman influence after the Conquest of England in the 11th century, where it was adopted as a surname before evolving into a given name.
The transition from a surname to a first name is notable in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries. Historically, the name Tracy has been associated with various notable figures.
One significant milestone is the use of the name in the 12th century, when it appeared in records as a surname for families in England. The name gained further recognition through the literary works of the 19th century, where it was occasionally used as a character name in novels and plays.
Additionally, the name is linked to the Tracy family, who were prominent in English history, particularly during the medieval period. Culturally, the name Tracy has been imbued with various symbolic meanings over time.
It has often been associated with qualities such as strength and resilience, reflecting the historical significance of its bearers. The name also has a diminutive form, "Tracey," which emerged as a variant spelling and has been used interchangeably in some contexts.
Overall, the name Tracy carries a rich historical and cultural legacy, reflecting its journey through language and time.
Famous people named Tracy
In this section, you will find notable people named Tracy. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Tracy who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Tracy who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Tracy Morgan is a comedian and actor best known for Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, and The Last O.G..
Tracy Ullman is an actress, comedian, and producer best known for The Tracy Ullman Show, Tracey Takes On..., and The Simpsons.
Tracy Chapman is a singer-songwriter best known for Fast Car, Give Me One Reason, and Talkin' 'bout a Revolution.
Tracy McGrady is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, and the NBA All-Star Game.
Tracy Letts is a playwright and actor best known for August: Osage County, Bug, and Killer Joe.
Tracy Pollan is an actress best known for Family Ties, and her work on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Fictional characters named Tracy
The following list of fictional characters named Tracy is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Tracy Turnblad is a fictional character from the musical and film Hairspray. She is a teenager with a passion for dancing who fights for acceptance and equality in 1960s Baltimore.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Tracy, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Tracy. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Tracy was first seen in the United States in 1884.
Tracy has ranked as high as #34 nationally, which occurred in 1970, and has been most popular in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Tracy has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Tracy is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Tracy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Tracy (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| FL | 8 | |
| CA | 7 | |
| TX | 7 | |
| IN | 5 | |
| OH | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Tracy.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 74 |
| 2023 | 75 |
| 2022 | 76 |
| 2021 | 68 |
| 2020 | 77 |
| 2019 | 73 |
| 2018 | 79 |
| 2017 | 89 |
| 2016 | 93 |
| 2015 | 83 |
| 2014 | 129 |
| 2013 | 122 |
| 2012 | 120 |
| 2011 | 106 |
| 2010 | 126 |
| 2009 | 158 |
| 2008 | 184 |
| 2007 | 222 |
| 2006 | 195 |
| 2005 | 222 |
| 2004 | 254 |
| 2003 | 303 |
| 2002 | 283 |
| 2001 | 297 |
| 2000 | 330 |
| 1999 | 314 |
| 1998 | 346 |
| 1997 | 375 |
| 1996 | 457 |
| 1995 | 557 |
| 1994 | 635 |
| 1993 | 737 |
| 1992 | 1,001 |
| 1991 | 995 |
| 1990 | 1,266 |
| 1989 | 1,465 |
| 1988 | 1,631 |
| 1987 | 1,991 |
| 1986 | 2,424 |
| 1985 | 2,653 |
| 1984 | 3,051 |
| 1983 | 3,158 |
| 1982 | 3,283 |
| 1981 | 3,869 |
| 1980 | 4,969 |
| 1979 | 5,389 |
| 1978 | 5,631 |
| 1977 | 5,756 |
| 1976 | 6,823 |
| 1975 | 8,510 |
| 1974 | 9,285 |
| 1973 | 9,913 |
| 1972 | 11,436 |
| 1971 | 14,329 |
| 1970 | 18,465 |
| 1969 | 15,108 |
| 1968 | 12,742 |
| 1967 | 11,952 |
| 1966 | 12,504 |
| 1965 | 11,173 |
| 1964 | 10,161 |
| 1963 | 9,073 |
| 1962 | 8,309 |
| 1961 | 6,988 |
| 1960 | 5,767 |
| 1959 | 3,368 |
| 1958 | 2,109 |
| 1957 | 1,966 |
| 1956 | 1,386 |
| 1955 | 936 |
| 1954 | 611 |
| 1953 | 326 |
| 1952 | 288 |
| 1951 | 193 |
| 1950 | 178 |
| 1949 | 170 |
| 1948 | 117 |
| 1947 | 129 |
| 1946 | 96 |
| 1945 | 91 |
| 1944 | 73 |
| 1943 | 90 |
| 1942 | 72 |
| 1941 | 42 |
| 1940 | 31 |
| 1939 | 23 |
| 1938 | 19 |
| 1937 | 17 |
| 1936 | 9 |
| 1935 | 21 |
| 1934 | 17 |
| 1933 | 11 |
| 1932 | 11 |
| 1931 | 16 |
| 1930 | 20 |
| 1929 | 6 |
| 1928 | 18 |
| 1927 | 16 |
| 1926 | 13 |
| 1925 | 21 |
| 1924 | 13 |
| 1923 | 14 |
| 1922 | 19 |
| 1921 | 27 |
| 1920 | 21 |
| 1919 | 12 |
| 1918 | 18 |
| 1917 | 28 |
| 1916 | 26 |
| 1915 | 18 |
| 1914 | 12 |
| 1913 | 11 |
| 1912 | 9 |
| 1911 | 10 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1909 | 11 |
| 1908 | 15 |
| 1907 | 5 |
| 1906 | 8 |
| 1905 | 8 |
| 1903 | 12 |
| 1902 | 8 |
| 1901 | 5 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1899 | 5 |
| 1898 | 14 |
| 1897 | 10 |
| 1896 | 14 |
| 1895 | 9 |
| 1894 | 9 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1891 | 8 |
| 1890 | 10 |
| 1889 | 11 |
| 1888 | 8 |
| 1887 | 5 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1885 | 12 |
| 1884 | 7 |