Meaning & History
Hannas is the Greek form of Annas, a contraction of Ananias, which itself comes from the Hebrew Hananiah, meaning "Yahweh is gracious". Derived from the Hebrew roots ḥanan (to be gracious) and yah (referring to God), the name carries a strong theophoric element common in Hebrew onomastics.
In the New Testament, Hannas appears as a variant of Annas, the high priest mentioned in the Gospels and Acts. Annas was a influential religious leader who, along with his son-in-law Caiaphas, played a key role in the trial of Jesus (John 18:13–24). The Greek form Hannas, found in some manuscripts, reflects the phonetic adaptation of the Hebrew/Aramaic name into Greek.
The name is rare in modern usage, primarily limited to biblical contexts and academic references. Its linguistic journey—from Hebrew Hananiah through Aramaic Annas to Greek Hannas—illustrates the transmission of biblical names across cultures. Related forms include the Latin Annas, the Portuguese Ananias, the English Ananias, and the Hebrew Chananya. The name also shares a root with the widely known Hannah, though they have separate etymological trajectories.
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Hannas