Hans (name)
Hans is a Germanic male given name in Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Faroese, German, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish-speaking populations. It was originally short for Johannes (John), but is now also recognized as a name in its own right for official purposes. The earliest documented usage was in 1356 in Sweden, 1360 in Norway, and the 14th century in Denmark.
| Pronunciation | US: /ˈhɑːnz/ HAHNZ UK: /ˈhænz/ HANZ Danish: [ˈhænˀs] German: [ˈhans] Dutch: [ˈhans] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Name day | October 25 (Germany) August 29 (Sweden) June 24th (Norway, Estonia, Denmark) December 27 (Finland) |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Pet form of Johannes |
| Meaning | "God has been gracious" |
| Region of origin | German, Dutch, Scandinavian |
| Other names | |
| Pet form(s) | Hampus |
| Related names | Hanni, Hanno, Hánno, Hannu, Hánsa, Hansi, Hanski, Hanssi, Hanse, Hansu, Hensar, Hampe, Hanseraq, Hansinnguaq, Hasse |
The name "Hansel" (German: Hänsel; IPA: /ˈhɛn.zəl/, [ˈhɛnzl̩]) is a diminutive, meaning "little Hans". Another diminutive with the same meaning is Hänschen (IPA: /ˈhɛns.çən/), found in the German proverb "Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr", which translates roughly as: "What Hansel doesn't learn, Hans will never learn".
Separately derived, Hans is also a male given name meaning "swan" in the Sanskrit language families of the Indian subcontinent.