Name meaning & stats
Ivan
Ivan means “God is gracious” (Russian origin). 130,639 US babies since 1940, peak 2004. Notable Ivans are 2.4× over-represented as professors.
What it means
“God is gracious”
RussianWell documented
In US birth records
Peak year: 2004
130,639 US babies were named Ivan between 1940 and 2025.
Where Ivans end up
Not enough notable Ivans yet, so this uses the spelling family: Ivan, Yvon, Yvan.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Professor | 2.4× | High · 42 people |
| Politician | 1.2× | High · 29 people |
| Actor | 1.0× | Medium · 18 people |
| Footballer | 0.7× | Medium · 14 people |
Among notable men who are professors, the Ivan family show up 2.4× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Ivan has a surprise career: 1.3×
Spelling family
Ivan is the main spelling
- Ivan 97%
- Ivaan 1%
- Iven 1%
- Yvan <1%
- Ivin <1%
- Eivin <1%
- Yvon <1%
- Ivann <1%
- Eivan <1%
- Yifan <1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2004)