Darcy

/ˈdɑː.si/

//ˈdɑː.si// name

"darcy" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Darcy” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,058 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#19,058
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A Norman baronial surname from Old French.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Darcy vs day
40% similar
Darcy vs dry
40% similar
Darcy vs DRC
20% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Darcy
PropertyValue
HeadwordDarcy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈdɑː.si/
Letters5
Frequency rank#19,058
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Darcy” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Darcy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Darcy is 5 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɑː.si/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,058 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for Darcy, with forms such as "adrcy", "dacry", and "darccy". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "day", "dry", "DRC", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Originally from Bois-d'Arcy, Yvelines in Northern France. Related to archaic French ardre (“to burn, consume”). The correct English form is Darcy, spelled D-A-R-C-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A Norman baronial surname from Old French.
  2. 2
    A male given name transferred from the surname.
  3. 3
    A female given name transferred from the surname, of mostly mid-20th century and later American usage.

Etymology

Originally from Bois-d'Arcy, Yvelines in Northern France. Related to archaic French ardre (“to burn, consume”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: adrcy,dacry,darccy,darcyy,darrcy,daryc,ddarcy,dracy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Darcy - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

adrcy2dacry2darccy1darcyy1darrcy1daryc2ddarcy1dracy2
Edit distance from "Darcy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Darcy"?
"Darcy" is spelled D-A-R-C-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɑː.si/.
What does "Darcy" mean?
As a proper noun, "Darcy" means: A Norman baronial surname from Old French.
What words are commonly confused with "Darcy"?
"Darcy" is commonly confused with "day", "dry", "DRC". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Darcy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Darcy" is /ˈdɑː.si/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Darcy"?
Originally from Bois-d'Arcy, Yvelines in Northern France. Related to archaic French ardre (“to burn, consume”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Darcy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-A-R-C-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɑː.si/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “day” - see the side-by-side comparison. Darcy vs day
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list