Given name & surname
Anson
“the son of Ann or Agnes”
Anson is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the son of Ann or Agnes.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the son of Ann or Agnes.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English usage, Anson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ann. In English usage, Anson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Agnes.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Anson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,937
- 7,932 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 302 babies
- 2025
- 94
- #1,728 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −45%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 94 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,728 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 45.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 302 in 2016. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (15 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,978 as a first name in 2020; 3,682 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.
Anson’s family of names
Anson has a feminine form in Ansonia. Anson has a related form in Ansen. Anson has a related form in Ansonia.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Anson has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Anson
- Anson ChanHong Kong politicianborn 1940
- Anson WilliamsAmerican actor and directorborn 1949
- Anson JonesTexan politician (1798-1858)
- Anson BurlingameAmerican politician, minister to China, and China's envoy to U.S. and European nations (1820–1870)
- Anson CarterCanadian ice hockey playerborn 1974
- Anson RaineyAmerican historian (1930–2011)
- Tiger HuChinese singer-songwriterborn 1983
- Anson HenryCanadian athletics competitor (born 1979)
- Anson MorrillAmerican politician (1803-1887)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Anson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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