Ivan
How to say it: EYE-vuhn · /ˈaɪvən/
Slavic form of John, ultimately from Hebrew Yohanan meaning 'God is gracious'.
Ivan was the 160th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 2,240 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 20% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #181 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #160 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 2,240 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,341 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −20% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #181 |
| In France, 2025 | #356 among boys’ names, 75 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Ivan sits close to its high after a 2010s peak and remains well used. The years ahead are expected to bring a gentle slip.
What goes with it
Strong and mellow with soft breathy sounds that travel well, Ivan feels solid. Roman shares its style.
Middle names that flow with Ivan →
Nicknames
- Van
- Vanya
Honouring a Ivan in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ivan is about 1 in 56.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #356 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #283. Ireland: #361.
Famous people named Ivan
- Ivan Turgenev (1818–1883)Russian writer
- Ivan Bunin (1870–1953)Russian writer and poet
- Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936)Russian physiologist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Hurricane Ivan 2004, retired name
Keep exploring
About as popular as Ivan
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