Ansel is an English name derived from the Germanic Anselm, from ans, "god", and helm, "helmet" or "protection", so it is usually read as "divine protection". Photographer Ansel Adams, famous for his black-and-white images of Yosemite, is the name's best-known American bearer. In the United States Ansel has hovered just outside the top 1000, peaking at number 1129 in 2018 and ranking 1138 in 2025.