Ansel

Did you know?

A few things about Ansel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Ansel

Ansel Adams

American photographer and environmentalist (1902–1984)

Choose Ansel and your child shares a first name with Ansel Adams, an American photographer and environmentalist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ansel, like who?” Ansel Adams's Wikipedia article is available in 69 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Ansel Adams on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: J. Malcolm Greany, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 9,183 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ansel, 186 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ansel would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryAnsel first shows up in US birth records in 1882, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 143 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1893, when it reached #538.
• 📈Then vs nowAnsel is 7.9× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 72,993 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 9,183.
• 🚀TrendAnsel has climbed 39 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,138. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedAnsel is most popular in Oregon, where it ranks #529, followed by Wisconsin (#678) and Kentucky (#708). It's in the top 1,000 in 8 states.
• 💬MeaningAnsel is a Germanic form of Anselm, which means “divine protection”. Our records link it to French, German and Old French roots.
• 🌍OriginAnsel is the #8 most popular Old French boy name in the US. That's out of 21 Old French boy and unisex names in our list.

About the name Ansel

Ansel is a boy name of French, German and Old French origin meaning “divine protection”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-sel”. US birth records list Ansel for boys from 1882 to 2025, in 133 of those 144 years. Its best year was 1893, when it ranked #538 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,138, with 186 babies.

Origin:French namesGerman namesOld French names