Ivan
Ivan was the 163rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,240 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 113th; the most babies were born in 2004 (3,462). Over the last ten years it has moved down 26 places. More babies were named Ivan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning God is gracious (Slavic form of John) · Russian, Slavic, Hebrew
Say it EYE-vuhn /ˈaɪvən/
- Rank in 2025
- #163 boys, down 10 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,240boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20043,462 babies
- Total since 1880
- 150,787babies recorded
What does the name Ivan mean?
Ivan is the Russian and wider Slavic form of John. Wikipedia traces it through Greek Ioannes to Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious', and DMNES glosses the Hebrew 'graced by God'. Ivan is strongly associated with Russia, Ukraine and the Balkan countries. Wiktionary notes that English speakers say it EYE-vuhn, while the Slavic pronunciation is ee-VAHN, and that a rare Welsh Ivan is a variant of Evan.
Иван (Russian, “Ivan”)יוֹחָנָן (Biblical Hebrew, “Yochanan, God is gracious”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: John, Evan, Iván, Ivana, Vanya, Juan.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God, names that mean grace.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ivan', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Ivan', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'John', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
Nicknames for Ivan
The usual nicknames for Ivan are Vanya.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanya · Russian pet form | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Ivans go by each one.
Ivan popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 650 since 1914.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #163 | 2,240 |
| 2020 | #153 | 2,442 |
| 2010 | #144 | 2,772 |
| 2000 | #153 | 2,531 |
| 1990 | #177 | 1,748 |
| 1980 | #246 | 907 |
| 1970 | #298 | 675 |
| 1960 | #319 | 599 |
| 1950 | #316 | 472 |
| 1940 | #230 | 541 |
| 1930 | #203 | 668 |
| 1920 | #179 | 791 |
| 1910 | #224 | 109 |
| 1900 | #206 | 90 |
| 1890 | #281 | 38 |
| 1880 | #322 | 28 |
How popular is Ivan, counting every spelling?
Ivan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #158 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #163 for Ivan on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,477 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan | 2,240 | #163 | 11,638 |
| Ivaan | 215 | #1,030 | 1,003 |
| Iven | 10 | #7,883 | 80 |
| Ivin | 7 | #10,086 | 44 |
| Ivann | 5 | #12,763 | 31 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ivan?
2,240 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ivan (0.62 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ivan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 4 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ivan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ivan?
About 122,100 people born in the US named Ivan are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 12 and 35. That makes Ivan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ivan by state
How common Ivan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Arizona (2.2×), New Mexico (2.1×), Nevada (2.1×), California (2.0×), Texas (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Rhode Island, Louisiana, Massachusetts.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ivan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ivan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Ivan · Sibling names for Ivan
Questions about the name Ivan
What does Ivan mean?
Ivan means “God is gracious (Slavic form of John)” (Russian, Slavic, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ivan?
Ivan was the 163rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,240 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 113th; the most babies were born in 2004 (3,462). Over the last ten years it has moved down 26 places. More babies were named Ivan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Ivan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Ivan in the US.
Where is Ivan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ivan was most common in Arizona (2.97 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Mexico and Nevada.