Anselm
From Proto-Germanic *ansuz (“god”) + Old High German hëlm (“helmet”).
Every Anselm since 1912 — 304 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Anselm of Canterbury Religious figure · 1033–1109
- Anselm Kiefer Painter · b. 1945
- Anselm Feuerbach Painter · 1829–1880
- Anselm Grün Writer · b. 1945
- Anselm of Laon Philosopher · 1050–1117
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).