also nameplate, "plate bearing a person's name," especially one of metal at the door of a residence or place of business, 1823, from name (n.) + plate (n.). Name-board, on the hull of a ship, is from 1846.

"tag with a person's name inscribed on it," 1903, from name (n.) + tag (n.1).

early 14c., "undistinguished, without fame or reputation," from name (n.) + -less. Meaning "having no name, anonymous" is early 15c.; that of "too abominable to be named" is from 1610s. Similar formation in Dutch naamloos, German namenlos. Related: Namelessly; namelessness.

"particularly, especially, expressly" (i.e. "by name"), c. 1200, from name (n.) + -ly (2). From mid-15c. as "that is to say."

"person named for the sake of someone, one who has the same name as another," 1640s, probably originally (for the) name's sake. See name (n.) + sake (n.1).

child's word for "grandmother" or, sometimes, "nurse," 1844 (see nanny).

"effeminate man, male homosexual who takes the passive role," 1924, from female name Nancy (q.v.), which was in use as an adjective meaning "effeminate" (applied to men) by 1904 in prison slang, a shortening of earlier Miss Nancy, a derogatory term for a finicky, effeminate man which is attested by 1824; Nancy boy "effeminate male homosexual" is attested by 1939. 

Nancy, Miss, an opprobrious epithet for an exceedingly effeminate, over-nice young man. The original Miss Nancy, however, was a Mrs. Anna Oldfield, a celebrated actress, who died in 1730 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. She was extremely vain and nice about her dress, and as she lay in state, attended by two noblemen, she was attired, as she had directed shortly before her death, in "a very fine Brussels lace head-dress, a Holland shift with a tucker and double ruffles of the same lace, a pair of new kid gloves," etc., a circumstance alluded to by Pope .... [William S. Walsh, "Handy-Book of Literary Curiosities," 1892]

Walsh's proposed origin might not be exact. Related: Nancified.

fem. proper name, probably a pet form of Ancy, diminutive of Middle English Annis "Agnes" (see Agnes). Among the top 10 popular names for girls born in U.S. between 1935 and 1955.

kind of cotton cloth, originally usually yellow, 1755, from Nanking, China, where it originally was made. Also "trousers or breeches made of nankeen" (1806).