Hans

Hans is a German and Scandinavian short form of Johannes, itself the Latin rendering of the Greek Ioannes, which derives from the Hebrew name Yohanan meaning God is gracious. The name became enormously common throughout medieval and early modern northern Europe, borne by figures ranging from the painter Hans Holbein the Younger to the Danish fairy-tale author Hans Christian Andersen. Its long independent use has given it a firmly established identity as a standalone name rather than merely a diminutive. Related forms include Johan, Jan, Hannes, and the English John.