Janos

Janos is a male given name of Hungarian origin, the Hungarian form of John. It derives from the Latin Ioannes and has long been used in Hungary and among Hungarian communities abroad. In Hungarian orthography, the accent on the á signals a long vowel. In international contexts without diacritics, the name is commonly rendered as Janos.

Throughout history, János has appeared across social strata, including royalty, clergy, scholars, and politicians, reflecting the enduring popularity of the name in Hungarian-speaking regions. It is also encountered in various forms across Hungarian literature and culture, where bearers have contributed to politics, science, and the arts.

Notable individuals named János include János Arany (1817–1882), a prominent Hungarian poet and translator known for the epic poem Toldi; János Bolyai (1802–1860), a mathematician who helped develop non-Euclidean geometry; János Hunyadi (c. 1407–1456), a regent and military leader of Hungary; János Kornai (1928–2021), an influential economist known for work on shortage economies; and János Kádár (1912–1989), a Hungarian politician who led the country as a reformist party leader during much of the 20th century.

Today, János remains a common given name in Hungary, continuing the tradition of naming rooted in the broader cultural and religious significance of John across Europe.