Total births
304
Boys' name · since 1912
Anselm
Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 304 babies named Anselm, peaking in 2016. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9959
- among boys today
- 304
- born since 1912
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
Anselm currently ranks #9959 among boys' names in America, with 304 babies recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Anselm has been recorded 304 times among boys since 1912, currently ranked #9959 nationally and more common than 30% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2025.
- #9959 among boys today
- 304 born since 1912
- 2010s peak decade
- 30% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Anselm is currently the #9959 boys' name in America, more common than 30% of boys - 304 born since 1912, peaking in the 2010s.
- #9959
- among boys today
- 304
- born since 1912
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
Anselm vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9959
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 30% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Anselm was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
12 babies were named Anselm in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Anselm compares
304 46th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Anselm's all-time total is 17% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Anselm | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 304 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 12 | 23 | 22,252 |
Anselm's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Anselm's SSA record in two at 1998 and the more recent half accounts for 56% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 44%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1922, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2016 peak of 12, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Anselm at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2016
Current rank
#9,959
Active since
1912
Anselm popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Anselm by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Anselm's strongest decade.
73 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Anselm births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
43 births
- 1920s
1920s
49 births
- 1940s 15
1940s
15 births
- 1950s 14
1950s
14 births
- 1970s 8
1970s
8 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
- 2000s
2000s
42 births
- 2010s
2010s
73 births
- 2020s
2020s
49 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 73 births (24% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Anselm? ▼
304 babies have been named Anselm since 1912. It currently ranks #9959 among boys. The peak year was 2016 with 12 births.
When was Anselm most popular? ▼
Anselm was most popular in the 2010s decade with 73 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
How long has the name Anselm been used? ▼
Records for Anselm go back to 1912, giving 114 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Anselm? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Anson, Ansel, Anselmo, Ansh, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Anselm's data
- Anselm's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (73 total births) through the 2020s (49) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Anselm
Nearby Names Like Anselm
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Anselm
Anson Boy
#1390 7,932 births
Ansel Boy
#1287 4,801 births
Anselmo Boy
#5080 2,748 births
Ansh Boy
#1889 2,244 births
Anshul Boy
382 births
Compare Anselm side by side: Anselm vs Anson Anselm vs Ansel Anselm vs Anselmo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Anselm
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, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Anselm: #9959 Boys' Name - 304 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/anselm. 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 Anselm 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.