Nancy Cote: Hello, my name is Nancy Cote. Many people who don't know me and read my name pronounce it COAT. Cote is my married name. My name before I was married was Nancy Merrick. My grandparents, John and Amelia Merrick, were born in Austria, and immigrated to the United States, where my dad and his sister were born. I like my name, Nancy Cote, because children seem to like to say it. Nancy Cote has a bouncy sound, and I think it's perfect for someone who writes and illustrates children's books.