Hans

Hans is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It began as a diminutive form of Johannes (John) but became a standalone name in its own right, especially in German-speaking regions. The name ultimately derives from the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning “Yahweh is gracious.” In German-speaking areas, Hans achieved widespread use from the medieval period onward. In Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish naming traditions, Hans is also common as an independent given name and is not solely a contraction of Johannes. The variant Hanns appears in German as a separate spelling.

In usage, Hans remains a persistent and widely recognized name in Germanic and Nordic countries. It is encountered primarily as a given name and, less commonly, as a surname in some cultures, though it is mainly linked to patronymic origins.

Notable people named Hans include Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish author known for fairy tales; Hans Zimmer, the German film composer; Hans Bethe, the German-American physicist and Nobel laureate; Hans Geiger, the German physicist who co-developed the Geiger counter; and Hans Holbein the Younger, the German painter who worked in England. The name’s long-standing presence across cultures contributes to its perception as a classic, straightforward choice.