Anshel

אַנשל

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Yiddish
• Meaning: God's protection

• Anshel is a warm Yiddish name meaning "God's protection," born from the Germanic roots that gave Ashkenazi Jewish culture so many of its most treasured names. It evokes the familial world of the shtetl, where names were passed down with love around kitchen tables lit by Shabbos candles. For many, the name also conjures Barbra Streisand's iconic film "Yentl," in which the heroine disguises herself as a boy named Anshel to pursue the Talmud study denied to women.

  This name has that irresistible old-world Yiddish charm that is surging back into fashion. It feels like a cousin to Herschel and Mendel but with a softer, almost tender sound. Between its meaning of divine protection and its unforgettable cinematic moment, Anshel wraps a child in layers of history and story.

• Alternate Spellings: Anschel, Antshel, Anshl
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Basha
  ,
  Eidel
  ,
  Faivish
  ,
  Haskel
• Theme: God