Hauke, pronounced [ˈhɔukə], is a fairly common Frisian masculine given name. According to onomatologist Rienk de Haan, the name developed from a reduced form of Germanic names beginning with either Habuk- (meaning "hawk") or Hug- (meaning "mind, thought, spirit"). The latter element, hugu, appears in many Old German names. As a short form, Hauke is thus related to the German Hugo, which shares the same root. Other cognates across European languages include Hugh (English), Hug (Catalan), and the English diminutives Hewie, Huey, and Hughie.In West Frisian, masculine given names can often be adapted into feminine equivalents by dropping the voiceless final syllable and adding the diminutive suffix -je. For Hauke, this yields Haukje (also commonly spelled Houkje). The name is reasonably common in the Dutch province of Friesland, where it is frequently encountered in both spellings such as Hauke and Houke.Notable BearersNotable individuals with the name Hauke include:Hauke Fuhlbrügge, former German runnerHauke Harder, German composer and experimental physicistHauke Harms, founding member of the German band GigameschThe name also appears in literature: a variant formed the basis for the protagonist in Theodor Storm's 1888 novella The Rider on the White Horse, whose full name is Hauke Haien.Key FactsMeaning: Derivatives of Germanic elements meaning "hawk" or "mind, thought, spirit"Origin: Frisian, GermanicType: Given name (masculine)Usage Regions: Friesland (Netherlands), Germany