Hans

Once upon a time, the Greek name Ioannes became Johannes in Latin. The German language shortened that name to Hans, which clearly comes from its last syllable. 

Since the late Middle Ages, Hans has been popular in German-speaking nations. However, the name is no longer as popular in Germany and Norway as it once was. The Nordic name also declined throughout time in the United States. Never ranking in the top 200, Hans was out of the charts by 2000. Hans is still being used in small numbers and, thus, feels timeless. 

Hans has also been worn by several namesakes throughout history, including a lot of kings and Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Andersen wrote well-known fairy tales like The Princess and the Pea, making Hans a fairy tale-inspired name. Prince Hans of the Southern Isles from Disney's Frozen, which was adapted from Andersen's The Snow Queen, adds to its magical vibe. 

Hans will appeal to parents looking for a short Nordic name with magical ties. It feels too tied to the German and Nordic languages to count as a classic, but it has clearly stood the test of time. 

SISTER NAME IDEAS:

Alma, Elke, Gretchen, Hilda, Ingrid, Lotte, Maren, Petra, Signe, Thea

BROTHER NAME IDEAS:

Bruno, Casper, Fritz, Harald, Ivor, Lars, Magnus, Oscar, Soren, Viggo

What do you think about Hans?

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