Ivan
Meaning of Ivan
Ivan is the Russian form of John, a name that goes back to the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious." The name is also widely used in other Slavic languages and, as Iván, in Spanish. In American English it is pronounced EYE-vuhn; in British English, EE-vuhn.
Several Russian rulers bore the name, and Ivan is the hero of many Russian fairy tales. Well-known bearers include the novelist Ivan Turgenev, author of Fathers and Sons, and the Nobel Prize-winning physiologist Ivan Pavlov, known for his work on classical conditioning.
In the U.S., Ivan climbed for decades after a mid-century low of 334th in 1951. A record 3,462 boys were given the name in 2004, and it reached its highest rank, 113th, in 2012. It has slipped since then, ranking 162nd in 2025 with 2,240 boys.
Pronunciation
Russian
- Pronunced as EE-vahn (/i:van//)
British English
- Pronunced as EE-vuhn (/ˈi:vən/)
American English
- Pronunced as EYE-vuhn (/ˈaɪvən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Ivan
| Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, baptized Hovhannes Aivazian and born to an Armenian family in Feodosia, Crimea, was a Russian Romantic painter acclaimed as one of the greatest masters of marine art. |
| Ivan IV, called Ivan the Terrible, ruled Russia from 1533 to 1584, becoming its first tsar and transforming the country from a medieval state into a fledgling empire at great human and economic cost. |
| Ivan Rakitić - Ivan Rakitic is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. |
| Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who discovered classical conditioning through experiments with dogs and won the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on digestion. |
| Ivan Turgenev was a Russian writer who helped popularize Russian literature in the West. |
| Ivan Konev was a Soviet marshal who led key Red Army offensives on the Eastern Front in World War II, helping drive Axis forces from much of Eastern Europe. |
| Ivan Ilyich Mozzhukhin, also known as Ivan Mosjoukine, was a Russian silent film star. |
| Ivan Terence Sanderson was a British biologist and writer from Edinburgh who became a US citizen and wrote about nature and travel while showcasing exotic animals on 1950s and 1960s TV. |
| Ivan I of Moscow - Ivan I Danilovich Kalita ruled as Prince of Moscow from 1325 and as Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1331 until his death in 1340. |
| Ivan Vasilievich Kliun, also known as Klyun, was a Russian avant garde painter, sculptor, and art theorist associated with Suprematism. |
| Ivan Andreyevich Urgant is a popular Russian television host, presenter, and actor known for his roles in film and as the host of the late-night talk show "Evening Urgant." |
| Ivan Tomečak - Ivan Tomecak is a Croatian professional footballer who mainly plays right full back but can also play right wing or left back. |
| Ivan Miljković is a Serbian businessman and former volleyball great, an Olympic and European champion renowned for powerful opposite hitting with the Serbia national team from 1998 to 2012. |
