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Anselma
How to Pronounce Anselma
Pronounced an-SEL-muh /ænˈsɛl.mə/Medium
Meaning: Anselma is the feminine form of Anselm, a Germanic name joining ans, 'god' or 'deity,' with helm, 'helmet' or 'protection.' Together the parts give the sense 'god-helmet' or 'divine protection,' a name long used in German and Italian tradition.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Anselma is the feminine of the old Germanic Anselm, built from ans, 'god,' and helm, 'protection,' for a meaning like 'shielded by God.' Long at home in German and Italian families, it reached the United States with immigrant communities and remained a quiet, dignified rarity.
Anselma was never common in the United States, peaking at only about fifteen girls a year in the mid nineteen-twenties before fading. A woman given the name then would be past a hundred today, marking it as a genuinely old-fashioned heritage choice.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Anselma mean?
It is the feminine of Anselm, from Germanic ans, 'god,' and helm, 'protection,' giving 'divine protection.'
How do you pronounce Anselma?
It is said an-SEL-muh /ænˈsɛl.mə/ - three syllables, stress on the middle.
Is Anselma a boy or girl name?
Anselma is used as a girl's name; the masculine form is Anselm.
How popular is Anselma?
It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen girls a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-twenties, and it has largely disappeared since.