Nunnally

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An English surname that is also used as a given name, borne by several notable people in film and public life
2. A family name of English origin, also occasionally given as a first name to a person
3. A surname of English origin and occasional given name, carried by a number of prominent figures in America

Etymology: "Nunnally" is an English family name, and the only etymological lead available is that it is probably a variant of "Munnelly," a surname with Irish roots. Names of this kind often shifted in spelling as they were written down by different clerks and record-keepers, so the "nun" opening here may be a spelling change rather than a link to convents. Two spellings that differ by a single vowel and a doubled consonant are a common pattern in surnames of this type. Because the source connects it to "Munnelly" and does not trace it further, the deeper ancestry of the name cannot be stated with confidence, and the surname's exact origin is best treated as a matter of likely variation rather than established fact.