Stacy

Stacy is a name with an interesting history. First of all it dates back to medieval England, believed to have been derived from the masculine name Eustace from the Greek Ευσταχυς (Eustakhios) meaning “fruitful”. Eustace is basically made up of the Greek elements “eu” meaning “well, good” and “stakhys” meaning “grapes”. The Normans brought Eustace to England in the Middle Ages after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name was originally popularized among the French by the legend an early 2nd century saint. St. Eustace was a general in the Roman army in the pagan days of the Empire. One day while hunting a stag, Eustace claimed to have seen a vision of Jesus on the cross between the antlers of the deer. The experience prompted him to convert to Christianity and have his entire family baptized. He was then forced to deal with a series of personal tragedies that would have tested the patience of Job – but like Job, Eustace never wavered on his faith. He and his family were eventually put to death by fire under the Emperor Hadrian for refusing to honor the Roman pagan gods. St. Eustace’s legend and cult grew in the Middle Ages and his name became common in England by the 12th century. Stace and Stacey developed as medieval pet forms of Eustace and eventually became given names in their own right (as well as patronymic surnames). Originally masculine in nature, Stacy fell out of favor by the 16th century. The name returned in the 20th century, but this time also reemerged as a popular girl’s name. For females, Stacy is often considered a short form for Anastasia or Natasia.