Hans

Meaning: God is gracious
Origin: German (from Hebrew) — Variant of John

Boy's name · #1325 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Popularity over time

Hans holds its lane: charted since 1880 and rarely far from where it stands today (#1325 in 2025). About 16,000 boys have carried it along the way. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Hans is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 15 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Hans ranks in other countries and regions.

#97 in Norway (2025) · #739 in Sweden (2025) · #754 in Ecuador (2025) · #761 in Austria (2025) · #1,031 in Switzerland (2025) · #1,118 in Canada (2024).

Famous Hanses

Hans Christian Andersen — Danish writer and poet (1805–1875)
Hans Christian Ørsted — Danish physicist and chemist (1777–1851)
Hans Bethe — German-American nuclear physicist
Hans Zimmer — German film composer (born 1957)
Hans Holbein the Younger — German artist and printmaker (1497–1543)

In stories & tradition

Hans Moleman — The Simpsons (TV series)
Hans Landa — Inglourious Basterds (film)
Hans (Hanswurst) — funny person

What Hanses become

Among 22,594 notable people named Hans:

Lawyers & judges appear 1.79× more often than among typical names — e.g. Hans Kelsen, Austrian lawyer (1881–1973).

Similar names: Yanis · Anton · Anson · Leander · Gus · Amos

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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