Total births
7,932
Boys' name · since 1880
Anson
7,932 babies named Anson in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 2016. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1390
- among boys today
- 7,932
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Anson is the #1390 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 7,932 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Anson recorded 7,932 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #1390 nationally today, ahead of 90% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1390 among boys today
- 7,932 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 90% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Anson is currently the #1390 boys' name in America, more common than 90% of boys - 7,932 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1390
- among boys today
- 7,932
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Anson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1390
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 90% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Anson was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
302 babies were named Anson in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Anson compares
7,932 Top 9% higher than 91% of 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
Anson's all-time total is 22x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Anson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,932 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 302 | 23 | 22,252 |
Anson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Anson splits its recorded history at 1959: 85% of all births land in the more recent half, 15% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1897 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2016 peak of 302 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Anson at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2016
Current rank
#1,390
Active since
1880
Anson popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 302
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Anson popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 2011 (Anson as girls' name)
Anson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Anson's strongest decade.
2,291 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Anson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 76
1880s
76 births
- 1890s 44
1890s
44 births
- 1900s 25
1900s
25 births
- 1910s 214
1910s
214 births
- 1920s 263
1920s
263 births
- 1930s 149
1930s
149 births
- 1940s 215
1940s
215 births
- 1950s 237
1950s
237 births
- 1960s 332
1960s
332 births
- 1970s 635
1970s
635 births
- 1980s 728
1980s
728 births
- 1990s 557
1990s
557 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,290 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,291 births
- 2020s 876
2020s
876 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 2,291 births (29% of all-time use).
How Anson 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 Anson's total volume
Anson vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Anson by state
Where Anson concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 951 | 12.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 681 | 8.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 603 | 7.6% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 150 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 142 | 1.8% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 135 | 1.7% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 126 | 1.6% |
| #8 | Florida | | 109 | 1.4% |
California share of Anson's total US births 12.0%
Even split
951 of 7,932 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 34 reporting states.
Anson appears in 34 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Anson? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 7,932 babies named Anson. Today it holds rank #1390 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2016, with 302 births.
When was Anson most popular? ▼
Anson was most popular in the 2010s decade with 2,291 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Anson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Anson are California (951 births), Texas (681 births), New York (603 births).
How long has the name Anson been used? ▼
Anson has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Anson? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ansel, Anselmo, Ansh, Anshul, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Anson's data
- Anson's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (2,291 total births) through the 2020s (876) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Ansons (951 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Anson
Nearby Names Like Anson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Anson
Ansel Boy
#1287 4,801 births
Anselmo Boy
#5080 2,748 births
Ansh Boy
#1889 2,244 births
Anshul Boy
382 births
Anselm Boy
#9959 304 births
Compare Anson side by side: Anson vs Ansel Anson vs Anselmo Anson vs Ansh
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Anson
Zack #1389
9,012 births · Peak 2008
Joao #1391
2,353 births · Peak 2024
Lucius #1388
10,108 births · Peak 2025
Ripley #1392
1,035 births · Peak 2025
Gilbert #1387
130,148 births · Peak 1930
Daemon #1393
1,849 births · Peak 2023
Advik #1386
1,547 births · Peak 2017
Jadon #1394
10,606 births · Peak 2006
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Anson: #1390 Boys' Name - 7,932 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/anson. 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 Anson 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.