Given name & surname · also Arabic
Hanan
“one who shows mercy and compassion”·“of God's grace”
Hanan is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who shows mercy and compassion” (Arabic) and “of God's grace” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewחנן
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who shows mercy and compassion” (Arabic) and “of God's grace” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Arabic and Hebrew naming traditions.
How it developed
From the Hebrew verb hanan (חנן), “to be gracious.”
From biblical name research
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1966. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Hanan appears in 1 Chronicles 8:23.
From biblical name research
Hanan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,229
- 148 boys · 2,081 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 72 babies
- 2025
- 67
- #2,911 for girls · #8,487 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −8%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 8% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 58 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,911 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 9 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Minnesota had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,431 as a first name in 2020; 1,338 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hanan’s family of names
Hanan has a feminine form in Hananna. Hanan has a related form in Hananiah. Hanan has a related form in Hananel.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 21
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Hanan
- Hanan AshrawiPalestinian legislator, activist, and scholar (born 1946)
- Annas1st century CE High Priest of the Roman province of Iudaea39 BC–40
- Hanan al-ShaykhLebanese writerborn 1945
- NamikaGerman pop singerborn 1991
- Ananus ben Ananus1st century High Priest of Israel (d. 68 CE)50–68
- Hanan Al HroubPalestinian educatorborn 1972
- Hanan TorkEgyptian actress and ballerinaborn 1975
- Hanan al-BarassiLibyan activist1973–2020
- Hanan PoratIsraeli rabbi and educator (1943-2011)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hanan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Raelin
“son of grace”
2% boys · 98% girls
Aylin
“having a moonlit halo”
1% boys · 99% girls
Raelani
“son of grace”
>99% girls
Shahina
“resembling a falcon”
>99% girls
Nozomi
“one who brings hope to others”
>99% girls
Fatimata
Fatimata is a feminine given name from Arabic. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Aliyah
Aliyah is used as a given name. One Arabic interpretation is “an ascender; one having the highest social standing.”
>99% girls
Briella
Briella is a feminine given name from Hebrew.
>99% girls