Ansel

Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, could make a creative artist-hero choice. For Adams it was a family name – he was named after his uncle, Ansel Easton. And, in turn, Adams was the namesake of young heartthrob Ansel Elgort, son of a photographer.

Derived from the same root as Anselm, Ansel is a medieval Germanic name that still feels fresh and stylish today.

Ansel has been far from a unique baby name – it was on and off the popularity lists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, reaching as high as Number 540 in 1893.

Pronounced AN-sul.

As of October 2026, Ansel ranked #1138 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #540 in 1893, Nameberry popularity #161.