Anonymous

Anonymous (Hymn Authors Group)

Short Name: Anon.
Full Name: Anonymous

Anonymous is a placeholder author designation used in hymn catalogs and hymnals when the actual author of a hymn text, tune, or translation is not known or cannot be verified by the editors. It is not a specific person, but rather an artificial entry created for indexing and archival purposes. This designation is applied to a large number of hymns whose origins are uncertain, undated, or historically unattributed in the available sources.

In many hymnals and databases, texts listed under “Anonymous” include works that were composed centuries ago or that entered the tradition through oral or communal transmission without a clear record of authorship. Hymns attributed to Anonymous may appear under terms such as “Author Unknown,” “Unknown,” or “Anonymous” in hymn lists and metadata.

The use of Anonymous in hymnary and similar resources allows for cataloging of these hymns while acknowledging the absence of a reliable author identification. This entry commonly includes thousands of hymn texts across languages and traditions.