The first name Hansel
A boy’s name.
2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
An Anglicised spelling of the German given name Hänsel. English equivalent: Johnny.
A form of German.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 11 boys were named Hansel, making it the 2,133rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2024, with 11 births (#2,088).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Hansel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Hansel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 103 boys born in the United States were named Hansel, the 1,638th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2021, when 134 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Hansel in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Hansel
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Hansel MiethAmerican photographer (1909–1998)
Questions
- How popular is the name Hansel?
- In 2025, 11 boys born in England and Wales were named Hansel, ranking 2,133rd. Its peak was 2024, with 11 births.
- Is Hansel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,636 US babies named Hansel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Hansel most popular?
- 2021 in the United States, when 134 babies were named Hansel, its highest rank at 1,373rd.
- What name is Hansel a form of?
- Hansel is a form of German.
- Is Hansel also a surname?
- Yes. Hansel is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.