Boys' name · since 1888
Ancil
Since 1888, U.S. Social Security records show 1,099 babies named Ancil, peaking in 1920. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,824 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,099
- born since 1888
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ancil is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 1,099 have been recorded since 1888.
Ancil has 1,099 recorded births among boys since 1888, 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 1888 to 2017.
- #4,824 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,099 born since 1888
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ancil ranks #4,824 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,099 born since 1888, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4,824 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,099
- born since 1888
- 1920s
- peak decade
Ancil's 1,099 recorded births place it above 89.38% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
6 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Kentucky.
Ancil's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ancil splits its recorded history at 1944: 33% of all births land in the more recent half, 67% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1888 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 35 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ancil popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–2017
- Peak year (1920)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 130 years of records
Ancil by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (252 births, 23% of the file).
1920s was Ancil's strongest decade.
252 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Ancil births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1900s 16
1900s
16 births
- 1910s
1910s
166 births
- 1920s
1920s
252 births
- 1930s
1930s
215 births
- 1940s
1940s
174 births
- 1950s
1950s
109 births
- 1960s 63
1960s
63 births
- 1970s 36
1970s
36 births
- 1980s 28
1980s
28 births
- 1990s 15
1990s
15 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 252 births (23% of all-time use).
How Ancil 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 Ancil's total volume
Ancil by state
Where Ancil concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 115 | 10.5% |
| #2 | Tennessee | | 22 | 2.0% |
| #3 | West Virginia | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Indiana | | 7 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Arkansas | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.5% |
115 of 1,099 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was Ancil most popular? ▼
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What to do with Ancil's data
- Ancil's decade-level peak was the 1920s (252 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Ancils (115 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ancil
Nearby Names Like Ancil
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ancil
Compare Ancil side by side: Ancil vs Ancel Ancil vs Anchor Ancil vs Ancelmo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ancil: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1920)
Similar record span (~129 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1888–2017 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Ancil 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 August 2026.