Given name & surname
Ansel
“one who follows nobility; protection from God”
Ansel is used as a given name and a surname. One French interpretation is “one who follows nobility; protection from God.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One French interpretation is “one who follows nobility; protection from God.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1882. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ansel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,811
- 4,801 boys · 10 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 186 babies
- 2025
- 186
- #1,138 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 186 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,138 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 3.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (27). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,840 as a first name in 2020; 1,287 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ansel’s family of names
Ansel has a related form in Anselmo. Ansel has a related form in Anselm. Ansel has a related form in Ancell.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Around the world
Ansel has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its French roots to each of them.
6 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Anselmvariant · German
- Anselmovariant
- Anselmivariant
- Ansellvariant · German
- Ansevariant · English
- Anselmusvariant · German
- Anselmeyvariant
- Anselmyvariant
Show 4 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Ansel
- Ansel AdamsAmerican photographer and environmentalist (1902–1984)
- Ansel ElgortAmerican actor, singer, DJ and record producerborn 1994
- Ansel BriggsAmerican politician (1806-1881)
- Ansel HaugsjaaAmerican lugerborn 2004
- Anseau of GarlandeFrench aristocrat1069–1118
- Ansel MarshalEnglish noble (1208-1245)
- Ansel GalimovRussian ice hockey playerborn 1991
- Ansel T. WallingAmerican politician1824–1896
- Ansel WilliamsonAmerican race horse trainer1850
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Ansel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Arlo
“from the barberry tree”
96% boys · 4% girls
Matheo
Matheo is a masculine given name from Spanish, ultimately from French. It is used in Norwegian.
>99% boys
Tadeo
“having heart”
>99% boys
Dashiell
Dashiell is a masculine given name from French.
>99% boys
Enzo
“the ruler of the estate”
>99% boys
Elian
“a spirited man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Rome
“Rome, Constantinople”
90% boys · 10% girls
Barret
Barret is a masculine given name from French.
>99% boys