Total births
751
Boys' name · since 1883
Ancel
Since 1883, U.S. Social Security records show 751 babies named Ancel, peaking in 1919. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 751
- total births
- 1883–2019
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
Ancel sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 751 recorded since 1883.
Ancel has 751 recorded births among boys since 1883, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 2019.
- 751 total births
- 1883–2019 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
751 boys have been named Ancel since 1883, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2019.
- 751
- total births
- 1883–2019
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Ancel was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
25 babies were named Ancel in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
Ancel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ancel splits its recorded history at 1941: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1883 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1919 peak of 25 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ancel at a glance
Last recorded 2019Peak year
1919
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1883
Ancel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2019
- Peak year (1919)
- 25
- Annual births at peak, across 137 years of records
Ancel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ancel's strongest decade.
167 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Ancel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 16
1880s
16 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s
1910s
145 births
- 1920s
1920s
167 births
- 1930s
1930s
119 births
- 1940s
1940s
97 births
- 1950s 48
1950s
48 births
- 1960s 34
1960s
34 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
- 1990s 10
1990s
10 births
- 2000s 21
2000s
21 births
- 2010s 55
2010s
55 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 167 births (22% of all-time use).
How Ancel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Ancel's total volume
Ancel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ancel by state
Where Ancel concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 10 | 1.3% |
| #2 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #4 | Texas | | 5 | 0.7% |
Kentucky share of Ancel's total US births 1.3%
Even split
10 of 751 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ancel? ▼
Since 1883, Social Security records show 751 babies named Ancel. The most recent recorded year was 2019. Its busiest year on record was 1919, with 25 births.
When was Ancel most popular? ▼
Ancel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 167 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Ancel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ancel are Kentucky (10 births), Missouri (5 births), Oklahoma (5 births).
How long has the name Ancel been used? ▼
Ancel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1883, spanning 137 years of data through 2019.
What names are similar to Ancel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ancil, Anchor, Ancelmo, Ance, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ancel's data
- Ancel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (167 total births); usage has since declined to 55 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Ancels (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ancel
Nearby Names Like Ancel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ancel
Ancil Boy
1,099 births
Anchor Boy
#8191 149 births
Ancelmo Boy
56 births
Ance Boy
54 births
Ancle Boy
38 births
Compare Ancel side by side: Ancel vs Ancil Ancel vs Anchor Ancel vs Ancelmo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1883–2019 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ancel: Baby Name Since 1883 - 751 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ancel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ancel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.