Ansel Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AN-sel /ˈæn.səl/
Origin: German; Hebrew
Meaning: German: 'God's protection'; Hebrew: 'noble'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Ansel has its roots in the Germanic elements "ans," meaning "god," and "helm," meaning "helmet" or "protection." This etymological combination suggests a meaning akin to "divine protection." The name was introduced to the English-speaking world through the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where it was adopted from the Old French form "Anselm." The Latinized version of the name, "Anselmus," was used in ecclesiastical contexts, particularly in reference to Saint Anselm of Canterbury, a significant theologian and philosopher of the 11th century who was canonized in 1494 and is recognized as a Doctor of the Church. Saint Anselm's influence on Christian thought, particularly through his works on the existence of God and the nature of faith, helped to solidify the name's prominence in medieval Europe.
His writings, including the "Proslogion" and "Cur Deus Homo," were pivotal in the development of scholastic philosophy. The name Anselm became associated with intellectual rigor and piety, contributing to its adoption among various European cultures during the Middle Ages.
In addition to its religious significance, Ansel has been borne by various notable figures throughout history, including Ansel Adams, the renowned American photographer known for his black-and-white landscape images of the American West. The name has also been used in literature and arts, often evoking themes of protection and divine guidance.
The diminutive form "Ansel" has been used in various contexts, maintaining a connection to its original meaning while adapting to different cultural settings. Overall, Ansel embodies a rich tapestry of linguistic heritage, historical significance, and cultural resonance.
Famous people named Ansel
In this section, you will find notable people named Ansel. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ansel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Ansel who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Ansel Elgort is an actor and musician best known for The Fault in Our Stars, Baby Driver, and West Side Story.
Ansel Adams was a photographer and environmentalist best known for his black-and-white landscape photographs of the American West.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ansel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ansel. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Ansel was first seen in the United States in 1882.
Ansel has ranked as high as #2321 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in California, South Carolina, New York, Texas, and Colorado.
In the past 5 years the name Ansel has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Ansel is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ansel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ansel.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 186 | 186 | 0 |
| 2024 | 153 | 153 | 0 |
| 2023 | 166 | 166 | 0 |
| 2022 | 146 | 146 | 0 |
| 2021 | 157 | 157 | 0 |
| 2020 | 163 | 163 | 0 |
| 2019 | 137 | 137 | 0 |
| 2018 | 171 | 171 | 0 |
| 2017 | 148 | 148 | 0 |
| 2016 | 165 | 160 | 5 |
| 2015 | 158 | 158 | 0 |
| 2014 | 109 | 109 | 0 |
| 2013 | 102 | 102 | 0 |
| 2012 | 69 | 69 | 0 |
| 2011 | 75 | 75 | 0 |
| 2010 | 75 | 75 | 0 |
| 2009 | 51 | 51 | 0 |
| 2008 | 63 | 63 | 0 |
| 2007 | 62 | 62 | 0 |
| 2006 | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| 2005 | 70 | 70 | 0 |
| 2004 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| 2003 | 45 | 45 | 0 |
| 2002 | 38 | 38 | 0 |
| 2001 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 2000 | 27 | 27 | 0 |
| 1999 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1998 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1997 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1996 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1995 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1994 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 1993 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1992 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1991 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1990 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1989 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 1988 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 1987 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1986 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1985 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1984 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1983 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1982 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1981 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 1980 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1979 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1978 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1977 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 1976 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1975 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1974 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1973 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1972 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1971 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1970 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1969 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1968 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1967 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1966 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1965 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1964 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1963 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1962 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 1961 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1960 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1959 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1958 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1957 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1956 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1955 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1954 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1953 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1952 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1951 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1950 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1949 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1948 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1947 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 1946 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1945 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1944 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 1943 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1942 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1941 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1940 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1939 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1938 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1937 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1936 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1935 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1934 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1933 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1932 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1931 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 1930 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| 1929 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 1928 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| 1927 | 33 | 33 | 0 |
| 1926 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1925 | 44 | 44 | 0 |
| 1924 | 40 | 40 | 0 |
| 1923 | 51 | 51 | 0 |
| 1922 | 47 | 47 | 0 |
| 1921 | 40 | 40 | 0 |
| 1920 | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| 1919 | 46 | 46 | 0 |
| 1918 | 36 | 31 | 5 |
| 1917 | 39 | 39 | 0 |
| 1916 | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| 1915 | 42 | 42 | 0 |
| 1914 | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| 1913 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1912 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1911 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1910 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1909 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1908 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1906 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1905 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1902 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1900 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1897 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1895 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1894 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1893 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1892 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1891 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1890 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1889 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1888 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1886 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1882 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Top States for Ansel (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 30 | |
| TX | 13 | |
| CO | 9 | |
| FL | 9 | |
| OH | 7 | |
| WA | 7 | |
| NY | 6 | |
| WI | 5 | |
| MA | 5 |