Boy · Hebrew (Russian form of John) · Christian · International
Ivan
IvanSay it EYE-vun (Russian ee-VAHN)
- Meaning today
- God is gracious
- Original meaning
- "Russian form of John: Jehovah-favoured" Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G2491 (from H3110, H3076)
- Say it
- EYE-vun (Russian ee-VAHN)
- Other spellings
- Iwan
Ivan
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Ivan meaning
Ivan is a Christian and international boy's name of Hebrew origin (Russian form of John).
Russian form of John: Jehovah-favoured
Also used to mean: God is gracious
Ivan is the Russian and Slavic form of John. The Online Etymology Dictionary traces it to Greek Iōannēs, the New Testament name of John the Baptist and John the Apostle (Strong's G2491), which renders the Hebrew Yochanan. Strong's explains the full Hebrew form Yehochanan as "Jehovah-favoured", from the divine name and chanan, "to show favour", which is why name lists give it as "God is gracious". The name was borne by grand princes and tsars of Russia and by writers such as Ivan Turgenev. Short and easy to say, it is used by Christian families in Kerala and Mangalore.
Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, G2491 (from H3110, H3076) · entry Yehowchanan · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Online Etymology Dictionary, Ivan · Strong's G2491, Iōannēs (Bible Hub) · Strong's H3076, Yehochanan (Bible Hub)
Famous namesakes
- Ivan Turgenev, Russian novelist
- Ivan Pavlov, Russian physiologist
Popularity abroad
- #163 United States, boys 2025 (down 10 from 153 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #283 England and Wales, boys 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Ivan · Iwan