Anson

Anson comes from an English surname whose history has more than one explanation. Surname dictionaries connect some families with Hanson, while other interpretations point to medieval familiar forms of Agnes or related personal names. The often-repeated “son of Anne” is one proposal rather than a secure translation for every family that bears the surname.

As a first name, Anson has an established identity beyond its ancestry. Actor Anson Williams, who played Potsie Weber in Happy Days, is one recognizable bearer. Its two-syllable form belongs comfortably beside other surname names ending in -son, but it is short enough to use without a nickname. An inherited family connection can make its particular history more meaningful than a single generalized definition.