Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2016

Anselm

Meaning god Gender Boy Rank 2025 #8,307

From Proto-Germanic *ansuz (“god”) + Old High German hëlm (“helmet”).

Rank 2025
#8,307
among boys · ↑1,666 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
9
named Anselm
How common
1 in 189,786
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2016
12 babies
All-time total
304
#10,495 all-time among boys
First recorded
1912
in Social Security records

Anselm popularity over time

304 babies have been named Anselm since 1912, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1912Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 43 4 – #2,285
1920s 49 5 +14% #2,993
1930s – – – –
1940s 15 2 – #3,448
1950s 14 1 -7% #2,778
1960s – – – –
1970s 8 1 – #4,433
1980s 5 1 -38% #6,304
1990s 6 1 +20% #8,533
2000s 42 4 +600% #7,139
2010s 73 7 +74% #6,748
2020s (to 2025) 49 8 +12% #7,541

The story of Anselm

Anselm is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,307 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1912, 304 American babies have been named Anselm. Its peak came in 2016, when 12 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Anselm stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Anselm?

The median living Anselm is about 12 years old; half are between 6 and 20. An estimated 200 people named Anselm are alive in the United States today.

median 12 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Anselm year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 9 #8,307
2024 7 #9,973
2023 8 #8,980
2022 10 #7,798
2021 5 #12,270
2020 10 #7,541
2019 6 #10,896
2018 8 #8,877
2017 8 #8,898
2016 12 #6,748
2015 9 #8,075
2014 8 #8,840
2013 9 #8,151
2012 7 #9,773
2011 – –
2010 6 #10,848
2009 – –
2008 11 #7,221
2007 – –
2006 9 #8,040
2005 10 #7,139
2004 – –
2003 5 #10,986
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 7 #8,249
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 5 #6,304
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 8 #2,778
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 5 #4,222
1920 – –
1915 8 #2,840
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Anselm

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Anselm of Canterbury Anselm of Canterbury Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109 1033–1109 · Medieval
  2. 2 Anselm Kiefer Anselm Kiefer German painter and sculptor (born 1945) Contemporary
  3. 3 Anselm Feuerbach Anselm Feuerbach German painter (1829–1880) 19th century
  4. 4 Anselm Grün Anselm Grün German monk b. 1945 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Anselm of Laon French biblical scholar, d. 1117 1050–1117 · Medieval

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Anselm, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Anselm?

The median living Anselm is about 12 years old. Half of all living Anselms are between 6 and 20 years old.

How many people named Anselm are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Anselm are alive in the United States, based on 304 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Anselm mean?

From Proto-Germanic *ansuz (“god”) + Old High German hëlm (“helmet”).

How popular is the name Anselm in 2025?

Anselm ranked #8,307 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Anselm?

304 babies have been named Anselm in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Anselm most popular?

Anselm peaked in 2016, when 12 newborns received the name.

Is Anselm a boy or girl name?

Anselm is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Anselm rising or falling?

Anselm has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Anselm?

Well-known people named Anselm include Anselm of Canterbury (religious figure), Anselm Kiefer (painter), Anselm Feuerbach (painter).

Names like Anselm

Names that sound and feel close to Anselm: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Anselm with similar names → More names starting with A →