What is the origin of the name Hanbalis, and what are the reliable sources for reviewing their history and everything related to them?

The Hanbalis are the followers of the Hanbali school of thought, named after Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. They were renowned for proclaiming the truth, enjoining good, forbidding evil, and their strict adherence to the sacred texts and the methodology of the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih), especially in matters of creed such as the Divine Names and Attributes, affirming them for Allah Almighty without distortion or allegorical interpretation. They were ascetics who did not covet worldly positions, and they engaged in Hisbah (enjoining good and forbidding evil). Many scholars among them excelled in various fields, even though, like all humans, they had their strengths and weaknesses.