hanno

Hanno is a masculine given name used in several European languages, notably in German-speaking countries and Finland. It also appears as a surname in some contexts. The name has historical usage and contemporary provenance in diverse cultures, with its meaning and origin varying by language and era.

The best-known bearer is Hanno the Navigator, a Carthaginian explorer traditionally dated to the 5th century BCE. The Periplus of Hanno, a fragmentary account attributed to him, purports to describe a voyage along the western coast of Africa, with stops and observations extending to distant regions. Modern scholarship treats the text as partly legendary or interpretive, and its reliability is debated. Nevertheless, the narrative is frequently cited in discussions of ancient Mediterranean seafaring and early explorations of the African coast.

In modern times, Hanno remains in use as a given name in various countries and can appear in literature and media as a character name. Its continued usage reflects broader European naming practices and, for some, a historical or cultural connection to ancient Carthaginian or Phoenician heritage.

See also references to related names and variants, as well as discussions of Phoenician and Carthaginian onomastics, where Hanno appears within broader naming traditions. The name’s associations with exploration and antiquity contribute to its presence in historical and cultural discourse.