The name "Hank" is a diminutive of the name "Henry", but it is not clear exactly how or when it came to be used as a short form of the name. One possibility is that it is a shortened form of the Dutch name "Hendrik", which is a variant of Henry. Another possibility is that it is derived from the Middle English word "hanke", which means "a lock or skein of wool", and was used as a nickname for a person with curly or tangled hair. Over time, the name Hank became more widely used as a short form of Henry, especially in the United States.