Hansel
Boy name · #1637 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Hansel? In official American birth records, Hansel has been tracked continuously since 1905, giving it 120 years of documented American history.
Hansel ranks #1637 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 103 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1717, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,476 boys born in 2025 was named Hansel.
The 120-year story
Hansel first appears in the Social Security records in 1905, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 134 boys were named Hansel — good for #1372 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Hansel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Hansel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Hansel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Hansel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Hansel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Hansel is most common
State-level data for Hansel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Hansel
Statistically, parents drawn to Hansel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ansel, Aksel, Mendel, Ezriel, and Raziel.
AnselAkselMendelEzrielRazielMikaelDieselShmiel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Hansel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 103 | #1634 |
| 2024 | 101 | #1661 |
| 2023 | 98 | #1711 |
| 2022 | 120 | #1504 |
| 2021 | 134 | #1372 |
| 2020 | 85 | #1778 |
| 2019 | 77 | #1917 |
| 2018 | 58 | #2300 |
| 2017 | 78 | #1871 |
| 2016 | 73 | #1975 |
| 2015 | 90 | #1717 |
| 2014 | 126 | #1355 |
| 2013 | 98 | #1578 |
| 2012 | 42 | #2811 |
| 2011 | 21 | #4509 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 30 | #3551 |
| 2008 | 43 | #2788 |
| 2007 | 29 | #3591 |
| 2006 | 29 | #3524 |
| 2005 | 28 | #3447 |
| 2004 | 21 | #4129 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 16 | #4703 |
| 2001 | 22 | #3721 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Hansel?
In official American birth records, the name Hansel first appeared in 1905 (over 120 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 120 years.
Is Hansel a popular boy name?
Hansel ranked #1637 among boys in 2025 with 103 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1717.
When was the name Hansel most popular?
Hansel peaked in 2021, when 134 American boys received the name (ranked #1372 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Hansel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,476 newborn American boys was named Hansel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.