Weiner

For other uses, see Weiner (disambiguation).

Weiner is a surname or, in fact, the spelling of two different surnames originating in German and the closely related Yiddish language. In German, the name is pronounced [vaɪnɐ(ʁ)], of which the rare English pronunciation /vaɪnər/ is a close approximation. In Yiddish, the name is pronounced almost as in southern German (with a flapped or trilled final r).

Outside of German-speaking countries, the pronunciation of the name is influenced by the local language's pronunciation and spelling habits. The pronunciation perhaps most commonly preferred by families in English-speaking countries is /waɪnər/, but the pronunciation /wiːnər/ is also very common, despite being the result of confusion with the surname Wiener and confusion with the fairly common pronunciation /iː/ of the letter combination "ei" in English.

The German name Weiner comes from a dialectal pronunciation of Wagner (related to the English word wagon, but only indirectly with wag[g]oner, which means "wagon driver"), which means "wainwright" (wagon maker). The source of the other name that is spelled Weiner is Yiddish, and according to dictionaries of Jewish surnames, it probably originates from the Yiddish name Vayner, meaning wine merchant and related to the German word Wein, which means “wine”. Both the Yiddish name and the German word are pronounced with the same vowel as the English word.

The name is common among German Americans. See also German family name etymology.

Weiner may refer to the following persons:

• Adam Weiner (born 1975), Polish handball goalkeeper
• Allan Weiner (born 1953), U.S. radio broadcast campaigner
• Allen Weiner, former Stanford Professor of International Law
• Andrew Weiner (born 1949), Canadian science fiction writer
• Anthony Weiner (born 1964), U.S. politician
• Arnold M. Weiner, U.S. lawyer in Maryland
• Art Weiner (born 1926), U.S. football player
• Ben Weiner (born 1980), U.S. contemporary artist
• Bernie Weiner, U.S. football player
• Bernard Weiner (born 1935), U.S. psychologist
• Charles R. Weiner (1922–2005), U.S. federal judge
• Dan Weiner (1919–1959), U.S. photojournalist
• Dave Weiner (born 1976), U.S. guitarist
• David Weiner, a Contributing Editor at the Huffington Post
• Edmund Weiner (born 1950), British lexicographer
• Egon Weiner (1906–1987), sculptor and professor
• Ehud Weiner (changed name to Ehud Manor) (1941–2005), Israeli song-writer, translator, and radio and television personality
• Ellis Weiner, U.S. author and humorist
• Eric Weiner, U.S. author and N.P.R. correspondent
• Erik Weiner (born 1977), U.S. actor, comedian, and writer
• Ernst Weiner (1913–1945), a German S.S. Hauptsturmführer during World War II
• Gerry Weiner (born 1933), Canadian politician
• Greg Weiner, playgirl photographer
• Hannah Weiner (1928–1997), U.S. poet
• Hans Weiner (born 1950), German former footballer
• Irving B. Weiner, U.S. psychologist
• Jacob Weiner (born Robert Milton Weiner, 1947), plant ecologist
• Jennifer Weiner (born 1970), U.S. author and former journalist
• Jody Weiner, U.S. novelist, nonfiction author, film producer, and lawyer
• Jonathan Weiner, U.S. popular science author
• Joshua Weiner, U.S. poet
• Justus Weiner, international human rights lawyer
• Lazar Weiner, a Ukrainian-born, U.S. composer of Yiddish song
• László Weiner (1916–1944), Hungarian composer, pianist, and conductor
• Lawrence Weiner (born 1942), U.S. conceptual artist
• Lee Weiner, U.S. antiwar activist and one of the Chicago Seven
• Leo Weiner (1885–1960), Hungarian music educator
• Marc Weiner (born 1955), U.S. comedian
• Mark Weiner, professor of law
• Matthew Weiner (born 1965), U.S. screen-writer, producer and director, creator of Mad Men
• Michael Weiner (actor) (born 1975), U.S. actor and composer
• Michael Weiner (professor), Professor at Soka University of America
• Michael Savage, U.S. talk-show host, born Michael Alan Weiner.
• Michael Weiner (executive) (born 1961), Executive Director or the Major League Baseball Players Association
• Michael Weiner (referee) (born 1969), German football referee
• Michele Weiner-Davis, M.S.W., marriage and family therapist and author
• Myron Weiner, U.S. political scientist
• Randy Weiner, U.S. playwright, producer, and theatre/night-club owner
• Richard Weiner (Czech writer) (1884–1937), Czech journalist and writer
• Richard Weiner (American author) (born 1927), U.S. film-maker and author
• Richard M. Weiner (born 1930), professor of theoretical physics & author
• Robert Weiner, Jr., U.S. water polo player
• Robert S. Weiner, (born 1947), American Democratic strategist and political commentator
• Ron Weiner, U.S. television writer
• Russell Weiner, creator of the Rockstar energy drink
• Steve Weiner, Canadian writer and animator
• Susan Weiner, politician from Georgia, U.S.
• Tim Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Todd Weiner (born 1975), Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman
• William Weiner (born 1955), Armenian - Israeli composer, violinist and vocalist
• Zach Weiner (born 1982), author and illustrator, web-comic cartoonist

See also

• Wiener (disambiguation)
• Robert Weiner (disambiguation)