Ivan

God is gracious
Russia origin · Unisex name
100% boys0% girls
#153US 2023
2.4kBirths / yr
Rising
139kAll-time births
📅 Since 191400
How to pronounce Ivan
EYE·vun
/ˈaɪ.vən/ · stress on EYE · 2 syllables
God is gracious
Russia origin · Unisex name

What does Ivan mean and where does it come from?

Ivan (Иван) is a name of Slavic origin, primarily used in Russia and other Slavic countries. It is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan (יוחנן) meaning 'God is gracious.' While it is typically a male name, it's increasingly being adopted as a female name in modern contexts. The name has a substantia

Cultural significance
Ivan has been a cherished name across cultures, particularly in Russia-speaking communities, where it reflects values of god is gracious.
Peak popularity
Reached #2398 in 1928 — currently #153 in the US.
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Related Reading
Russia-origin baby names with timeless appeal
Browse names →

How else can you spell Ivan?

Same sound, different look — useful if you want something slightly more distinctive

What middle names flow best with Ivan?

Ivan works best with short, strong middle names — one or two syllables keep the full name from becoming a mouthful

Ivan Grace
Most popular combo · classic
Ivan Rose
Floral · soft ending
Ivan Mae
Sweet · timeless
Ivan Claire
French influence · crisp
Ivan Jane
Literary · strong
Ivan Skye
Modern · airy feel
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Middle Names
The best middle names for Ivan
Browse ideas →

How popular is Ivan right now?

Rising — up 6 spots — currently #153 in the US out of 135.5k tracked names

US Trend 19152023#153 · Top 0.11%
1955
1960
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2021
2022
2023
YearUS RankBirthsvs Prior Year
2023#1532,387▲ up 6 · +1% births
2022#1592,363▲ up 9 · +3% births
2021#1682,291▲ up 13176 · +38083% births
2020#133446▲ up 1129
2015#144736▲ up 497
2010#149706▼ down 5516 · -45% births
2005#945411▼ down 907
2000#854711▼ down 2576 · -27% births
1995#597115▼ down 1275 · -25% births
1990#469620▲ up 396 · +43% births
1985#509214▲ up 840 · +27% births
1980#593211▼ down 397 · +10% births
1975#553510▼ down 344 · +43% births
1960#51917▼ down 428
1955#47637

The story of Ivan

Ivan entered American naming records in 1914 and has been in use for over 110 years. More than 139,016 babies have been named Ivan since 1914. The name has grown more popular over time, rising from #4292 in 1915 to #153 in 2023. Ivan is used for both genders: 0% female and 100% male.

Names that peaked alongside Ivan in 1928:

Ivan by decade

Ivan peaked in the 1920s. See all 1920s names →

DecadeBirths
1880s292
1890s571
1900s829
1910s4,967
1920s7,690
1930s5,798
1940s4,890
1950s5,349
1960s6,399
1970s7,078
1980s11,406
1990s20,655
2000s30,768
2010s29,899
2020s2,425

What are good nicknames for Ivan?

ARMENIAN
HovikHovo
BRETON
YanickYannicYannick
BULGARIAN
IvoYanko
CROATIAN
IvicaIvoJankoVanja

Gender variants of Ivan

Lashawn AFRICAN AMERICANTajuana AFRICAN AMERICANJone BASQUEIoanna BIBLICAL GREEKIohanna BIBLICAL LATINJoanna BIBLICALIoana BULGARIANIvana BULGARIANIvanka BULGARIANYana BULGARIANYanka BULGARIANYoana BULGARIANJana CATALANJoana CATALANIvana CROATIANIvanka CROATIANNina CROATIANŽana CROATIANIva CZECHIvana CZECHIvanka CZECHIvka CZECHJana CZECHJanička CZECHJohana CZECHNina CZECHHanna DANISHHanne DANISHJanne DANISHJannicke DANISHJannike DANISHJeanette DANISHJohanna DANISHJohanne DANISHJonna DANISHNina DANISHVanja DANISHHanna DUTCHHanne DUTCHHannie DUTCHJana DUTCHJanine DUTCHJanna DUTCHJanneke DUTCHJantine DUTCHJantje DUTCHJeanette DUTCHJeanine DUTCHJeannette DUTCHJennigje DUTCHJenny DUTCHJohanna DUTCHJohanneke DUTCHNina DUTCHGenette ENGLISHJan ENGLISHJanae ENGLISHJane ENGLISHJaneka ENGLISHJanel ENGLISHJanele ENGLISHJanella ENGLISHJanelle ENGLISHJanene ENGLISHJanessa ENGLISHJanet ENGLISHJanetta ENGLISHJanette ENGLISHJaney ENGLISHJanice ENGLISHJanie ENGLISHJanine ENGLISHJanis ENGLISHJanna ENGLISHJannah ENGLISHJannette ENGLISHJannine ENGLISHJayna ENGLISHJayne ENGLISHJaynie ENGLISHJean ENGLISHJeana ENGLISHJeane ENGLISHJeanette ENGLISHJeanie ENGLISHJeanine ENGLISHJeanna ENGLISHJeanne ENGLISHJeannette ENGLISHJeannie ENGLISHJeannine ENGLISHJeni ENGLISHJenna ENGLISHJenni ENGLISHJennie ENGLISHJenny ENGLISHJessalyn ENGLISHJessi ENGLISHJessie ENGLISHJessye ENGLISHJo ENGLISHJoan ENGLISHJoanie ENGLISHJoann ENGLISHJoanna ENGLISHJoanne ENGLISHJoetta ENGLISHJoey ENGLISHJohanna ENGLISHJohna ENGLISHJohnna ENGLISHJojo ENGLISHJoleen ENGLISHJolene ENGLISHJonelle ENGLISHJonette ENGLISHJoni ENGLISHJonie ENGLISHNena ENGLISHNetta ENGLISHNettie ENGLISHNina ENGLISHSeanna ENGLISHShauna ENGLISHShavonne ENGLISHShawna ENGLISHSheena ENGLISHSheenagh ENGLISHShena ENGLISHShevaun ENGLISHShevon ENGLISHJohanna ESTONIANHanna FINNISHHannele FINNISHJanika FINNISHJanina FINNISHJanna FINNISHJenna FINNISHJenni FINNISHJenny FINNISHJohanna FINNISHJonna FINNISHNina FINNISHJanine FRENCHJeanette FRENCHJeanine FRENCHJeanne FRENCHJeannette FRENCHJeannine FRENCHJoanne FRENCHJohanne FRENCHNina FRENCHNinette FRENCHXoana GALICIANHanna GERMANHanne GERMANJana GERMANJanina GERMANJanine GERMANJenny GERMANJohanna GERMANNina GERMANGianna GREEKIoanna GREEKNana GREEKYanna GREEKHanna HUNGARIANJohanna HUNGARIANZsanett HUNGARIANJenný ICELANDICJóhanna ICELANDICJóna ICELANDICChevonne IRISHShavonne IRISHShevaun IRISHShevon IRISHSíne IRISHSinéad IRISHSiobhán IRISHGia ITALIANGianna ITALIANGiannina ITALIANGiovanna ITALIANGiovannetta ITALIANNina ITALIANVanna ITALIANJohanna LATE ROMANJanina LITHUANIANIvana MACEDONIANJovana MACEDONIANJovanka MACEDONIANJovka MACEDONIANVana MACEDONIANJehanne MEDIEVAL FRENCHJohanne MEDIEVAL FRENCHHanna NORWEGIANHanne NORWEGIANJanne NORWEGIANJannicke NORWEGIANJannike NORWEGIANJeanette NORWEGIANJohanna NORWEGIANJohanne NORWEGIANNina NORWEGIANVanja NORWEGIANAsia POLISHJanina POLISHJoanna POLISHJoasia POLISHNina POLISHJoana PORTUGUESEJoaninha PORTUGUESEIoana ROMANIANIonela ROMANIANOana ROMANIANIvanna RUSSIANYana RUSSIANZhanna RUSSIANZhannochka RUSSIANGiuanna SARDINIANJean SCOTTISHJessie SCOTTISHSeona SCOTTISHSeonag SCOTTISHSeònaid SCOTTISHSheena SCOTTISHSheona SCOTTISHShona SCOTTISHSìne SCOTTISHSìneag SCOTTISHTeasag SCOTTISHIvana SERBIANIvanka SERBIANJovana SERBIANJovanka SERBIANNina SERBIANIva SLOVAKIvana SLOVAKIvanka SLOVAKIvka SLOVAKJana SLOVAKJanka SLOVAKNina SLOVAKIva SLOVENEIvana SLOVENEIvanka SLOVENEJana SLOVENENina SLOVENEŽana SLOVENEJenny SPANISHJuana SPANISHJuanita SPANISHHanna SWEDISHJanina SWEDISHJanna SWEDISHJannicke SWEDISHJannike SWEDISHJeanette SWEDISHJennie SWEDISHJenny SWEDISHJohanna SWEDISHJonna SWEDISHNina SWEDISHVanja SWEDISHYana UKRAINIANShan WELSHSiân WELSHSiana WELSHSiani WELSHSioned WELSHSiwan WELSHJackson ENGLISHJaxon ENGLISHJaxson ENGLISHMalone ENGLISHSinjin ENGLISHYancy ENGLISHYahweh THEOLOGYBevan WELSH

Common questions about the name Ivan

What does the name Ivan mean?
Ivan means "God is gracious" — a name rooted in Russia tradition that carries both historical depth and timeless appeal. The meaning reflects values that have made this name endure across generations.
How popular is the name Ivan?
Ivan is currently ranked #153 in the United States as a baby name in the US and is holding steady in popularity, a reliable classic that parents consistently choose.
What is the cultural origin of Ivan?
Ivan originates from Russia tradition. Russia names tend to carry strong cultural heritage and have spread across the world through migration, literature, and religion over centuries.
How do you pronounce the name Ivan?
Ivan is a two-syllable name pronounced AY1 V AH0 N. The pronunciation is straightforward for English speakers, and the name reads clearly on paper — an important practical consideration for parents.
Is Ivan more of a girl or boy name?
Ivan is a genuinely unisex name used for both boys and girls. The unisex quality makes it particularly versatile for modern families.