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Hannibal

What does Hannibal mean?

Hannibal Pronunciation of Hannibal as a boys' name is of Phoenician origin, and the meaning of Hannibal is "grace of Baal". From the Latin form of the Carthaginian Hanni Ba'al (hann is Phoenician for "grace, favor" and Baal is a god's name meaning "lord, king"). Hannibal Barca, son of Hamilcar, was a great general of Carthage, a kingdom in North Africa. He was an enemy of the Roman Empire and masterminded a great military feat when he crossed the Alps with a baggage train of elephants to invade Italy. Literary: the name was made famous by the cannibalistic character Hannibal Lector in Tomas Harris' novel "Silence of the Lambs" (1988).

STARTS/ENDS WITH Han-, -al

ASSOCIATED WITH grace, great, roman, famous

Variations

VARIANTS Anibal, Anibale

SEE ALSO Hasdrubal

CREATIVE FORMS
(male)

(female)


MIDDLE NAME PAIRINGS
Hannibal Barry (H.B.), ..

How popular is Hannibal?

Hannibal is an uncommon given name for males but a very popular surname for both adults and children (#21142 out of 150436, Top 14%). (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)

Hannibal reached its apex position of #1832 in the U.S. in the 1890s, but is not in the Top 1000 currently. (2018 U.S. SSA RECORDS)

Top 2000 baby names ranking of Hannibal name in U.S.

Top 100 baby names ranking of Hannibal outside U.S.

Which version is better?

The only other prominent alternative form of Hannibal appearing in the Top 2000 is Anibal. Adoption of these relations of Hannibal reached its apex 28 years ago.



Top 2000 baby names ranking of Hannibal, Anibal in U.S.

Top 100 baby names ranking of Hannibal and related baby names outside U.S.

Similar Names

Suggested similar-sounding names are Connal, Danal, Daneal, Danial, Danyal, Faical, Faisal, Faizal, Habib, Hadrian, Hadriel, Haidar, Hamal, Hamil, Hamill, Hammill, Hanan, Handlea (see Hanley), Hani, Haniel, Hanif, Hanlea, Hannan, Hannes, Hanniel, Hanno, Hannoch, Hanns, Hansel, Hansl, Hansraj, Hanyel, Hanzel, Harpal, Harwill (see Hartwell), Hazaiah, Henning, Hilal, Macneal, Manual, Parsifal and Randal. These names tend to be more commonly used than Hannibal.

See names
in meaning and etymology.


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