Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Ivan
BoyRussian, Slavic· “God is gracious”
- Meaning
- God is gracious
- Origin
- Russian, Slavic
- Pronunciation
- EYE-vuhn
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #163
- US babies 2025
- 2,240
- Best rank
- #113 (2012)
- Peak year
- 2004
Meaning and origin of Ivan
Ivan is a Russian and Slavic name that means “God is gracious”.
Ivan is the Slavic form of John, which comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious". It has been one of the most common names in Russia and other Slavic countries for centuries. Several grand princes and tsars of Russia bore it, including Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible, and it appears throughout Russian literature, notably in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov and Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich. In English it is usually pronounced EYE-vuhn, while in Slavic languages it is closer to ee-VAHN. Ivan is short, strong and international, a classic that feels both familiar and distinctive.
Other spellings with the same sound: Iven.
Popularity over time
Ivan has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 146 different years. Its best national rank was #113 in 2012, and the most babies received it in 2004, when 3,462 were named Ivan. In 2025, 2,240 babies were named Ivan, and it ranked #163 nationally. That is 26% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #179 in 1920, #316 in 1950, #246 in 1980, #153 in 2000, #144 in 2010, and #163 in 2025. Of the 150,137 US boys named Ivan since records began, 20% were born in the 2000s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 29,914 babies. Since 2010, 43,994 more have been named Ivan.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Conner, Braden, Nicolas, Gage, and Manuel.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Ivan ranked highest in Arizona, California, and Oregon.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | #65 | 107 |
| California | #85 | 444 |
| Oregon | #97 | 40 |
| Texas | #103 | 393 |
| Hawaii | #112 | 9 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Ivan is usually pronounced EYE-vuhn, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with I and ends in “-an”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Iven.
Middle names for Ivan
A few middle names that flow with Ivan: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Ivan
Similar names
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Lists that include Ivan
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ivan mean?
Ivan is a Russian and Slavic name that means “God is gracious”.
What is the origin of the name Ivan?
Ivan has Russian, Slavic, and Hebrew roots. Ivan is the Slavic form of John, which comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious".
Is Ivan a popular name?
Yes. Ivan ranked #163 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Ivan a boy or girl name?
Ivan is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Ivan?
Ivan is usually pronounced EYE-vuhn. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings