Hansel

Hansel - A very unique male name

Hansel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1915 on position #1052. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Hansel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Hansel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Hansel. The baby boy name Hansel was given to 55 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1638 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 26,660 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Hansel peaked in popularity 108 years ago in 1918 on position 968.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Hansel, 1-5?

Hansel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Hansel is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #965 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,062.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Hansel is where you live.

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Hansel origin and meaning

German — diminutive of Hans

A German pet form of Hans, itself the short form of Johannes (John), 'God is gracious'

Hansel is the German diminutive of Hans — the name the Brothers Grimm gave the boy in Hansel and Gretel in 1812, which is still its dominant association. As an American given name it has always been rare and storybook-tinted.

Attested etymology

Hansel is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Hansel, pop culture references for the name Hansel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Hansel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Hansel, sorted by popularity.

Hanzel / Hinckley / Hensel / Hansell /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Hansel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Hansel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Hansel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

HAHN-sel · /ˈhɑːnsəl/
German use is HAHN-sel; Anglicised HAN-sel is also common.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Hansel Robles — Dominican baseball pitcher known by his first name Hansel (b. 1990) Contemporary
• Hansel — The boy in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel (Fictional, 1812) Fictional

Style

Nickname nameLiterary

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Hansel for German heritage with a fairy-tale warmth — and usually with Hans or John somewhere in the family tree.

Worth knowing

• The fairy tale is total: expect Gretel jokes and breadcrumb references for life.