Hanzel is a Spanish-influenced spelling of Hansel, the German diminutive of Hans, itself a short form of Johannes, so the name ultimately means "God is gracious". Most Americans know it from the Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, and the z-spelling is used chiefly by Latino families. Hanzel was ranked beyond number 9,000 in 2015, climbed quickly from 2020 on, hit number 2,683 in 2024 and stands at number 2,691 in 2025, with 48 births.