Boy · #9,821 in 2026

Anansi

Anansi or Ananse is a character in Akan religion and folklore associated with stories, wisdom, knowledge, wit, mischievousness, cunning, and trickery, most commonly depicted as a spider. Anansi is a character who reflects the culture that he originates from.

Current Rank
#9,821
Peak Rank
#8,161 (2021)
Total Babies
16
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2021
First Year
2022
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#8161
Peak Rank
16
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Anansi

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Anansi or Ananse is a character in Akan religion and folklore associated with stories, wisdom, knowledge, wit, mischievousness, cunning, and trickery, most commonly depicted as a spider. Anansi is a character who reflects the culture that he originates from.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
Spider tales are found extensively throughout West Africa, but the Anansi tales from Ghana are seen to be the origin of these stories and are among the best-known, as Anansi's name comes from the word in the Akan language for "spider". They later spread to the West Indies , Suriname , Sierra Leone (where they were introduced by Jamaican Maroons ) and the Netherlands Antilles ; also Curaçao , Aruba , and Bonaire . Anansi is depicted in many different ways and with different names, from "Ananse", "Kwaku Ananse", and "Anancy", to his New World iterations, such as "Ba Anansi", "Kompa Nanzi" and/or

The Story of Anansi

Anansi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2021, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 9 Anansis were born — ranking #8,161 that year. As of 2026, Anansi ranks #9,821 for baby boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 16 Anansis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Anansi

Phonetically similar names — useful when Anansi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Anancy
  • Annecy
  • Annonce
  • Anani
  • Nmc
  • Annoncer
  • Announce
  • Announced
  • Antsy
  • Announcer
  • Ancy
  • Anomie

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Anansi

What does the name Anansi mean?
Anansi or Ananse is a character in Akan religion and folklore associated with stories, wisdom, knowledge, wit, mischievousness, cunning, and trickery, most commonly depicted as a spider. Anansi is a character who reflects the culture that he originates from.
How popular is Anansi in 2026?
In 2026, Anansi ranks #9,821 among boys' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Anansi most popular?
Anansi reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #8,161 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Anansi a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Anansi is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Anansi?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Anansi include Kasimir, Barren, Andria. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Kasimir
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Barren
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👦
Andria
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👦
Jem
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👦
Roric
Peak #8161
👦
Ryn
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👦
Regal
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Silvanus
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About the name Anansi

Anansi is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2021 and has accumulated 16 births in the dataset. Anansi's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #8,161. Use the chart and map above to compare Anansi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.