Ansel
Boy name · #1138 in 2025 · Uniqueness 60/100
Ansel ranks #1138 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 186 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1174, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,677 boys born in 2025 was named Ansel.
The 143-year story
Ansel first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 186 babies and a rank of #1138. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ansel per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ansel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ansel in class?
Ansel scores 60 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ansel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ansel is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Ansels were CA (27), TX (21), FL (9), AZ (8), NY (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Ansel
Statistically, parents drawn to Ansel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aksel, Adiel, Aviel, Hansel, and Abiel.
AkselAdielAvielHanselAbielGadielAsielAzael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ansel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 186 | #1138 |
| 2024 | 153 | #1286 |
| 2023 | 166 | #1203 |
| 2022 | 146 | #1300 |
| 2021 | 157 | #1225 |
| 2020 | 163 | #1177 |
| 2019 | 137 | #1327 |
| 2018 | 171 | #1128 |
| 2017 | 148 | #1236 |
| 2016 | 160 | #1183 |
| 2015 | 158 | #1174 |
| 2014 | 109 | #1485 |
| 2013 | 102 | #1546 |
| 2012 | 69 | #2016 |
| 2011 | 75 | #1866 |
| 2010 | 75 | #1898 |
| 2009 | 51 | #2486 |
| 2008 | 63 | #2140 |
| 2007 | 62 | #2164 |
| 2006 | 49 | #2477 |
| 2005 | 70 | #1838 |
| 2004 | 50 | #2283 |
| 2003 | 45 | #2349 |
| 2002 | 38 | #2556 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ansel a popular boy name?
Ansel ranked #1138 among boys in 2025 with 186 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1174.
When was the name Ansel most popular?
Ansel peaked in 2025, when 186 American boys received the name (ranked #1138 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ansel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,677 newborn American boys was named Ansel. It scores 60/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.