Ivan (name)

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Ivan is a Christian male given name that is primarily associated with Slavic languages. It is the most common Slavic variant of the name "John".

Etymology

Ivan is the common Slavic Latin spelling, while Cyrillic spelling is two-fold: in Bulgarian, Russian, Macedonian, Serbian, Montenegrin it is Иван, while in Belarusian and Ukrainian it is Iван.

It is the Slavic relative of the Latin name Johannes, corresponding to English John.^[1] This Slavic version of the name originates from New Testament Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs) rather than from the Latin Io(h)annes. The Greek name is in turn derived from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānān, meaning “‘Yahweh is gracious’”). The name is ultimately derived from the Biblical Hebrew name יוחנן (pronounced [joχanan]), short for יהוחנן (pronounced [jəhoχanan]), meaning "Yahweh is merciful". Common surnames derived from the name Ivan, are Ivanović commonly used in Montenegro and Serbia. And Ivanov, commonly used in Russia and Bulgaria. "Ivanovich" is a Russian patronymic/middle name meaning "son of Ivan/John" or "Ivanson/Johnson".

It is etymologically related to many other given names in other Indo-European languages (see John (name) for a full list).

Popularity

The name is common among Bulgarians, Montenegrins, Russians, Macedonians, Serbs, Croats, Belarusians, Ukrainians and to a smaller extent Czechs^[2] and Slovaks. Popular variations include Jovan and Joan.

Ivan is the most common male name in Bulgaria^{[citation needed]} and Croatia.^[3] In Serbia, it was the 9th most common male name in the period of 1971–1980; 6th in 1981–1990; 9th in 1991–2000.^[4]

Since the 20th century, it has also been used as a popular given name among Italian (both the original form and the italianized version, Ivano), Spanish (as Iván), and Portuguese (sometimes Ivã) speaking peoples.

Derivatives

Its female form is Ivana. Ivanka is a variation on Ivana.

Slang

Ivan was also occasionally used by Americans during the Cold War as a general name for the Soviets (Compare "Jerry" for the Germans or "Charlie" for the Vietnamese during World War II and the Vietnam War, respectively.).

Historical country-specific use

Bulgaria

Ivan was the name of several Bulgarian tsars:

• Ivan Asen I
• Kaloyan
• Ivan Asen II
• Ivan Alexander
• Ivan Shishman
• Ivan Stephen
• Ivan Stratsimir
• Ivan Vladislav

Other Bulgarians

• Ivan Rilski (John of Rila), national saint and hermit

Russia

Ivan was the name of several Russian tsars throughout history:

• Ivan I, "The Moneybag"
• Ivan II, "The Fair"
• Ivan III, "The Great"
• Ivan IV, "The Terrible"
• Ivan V
• Ivan VI

Ukraine

Ivan was the name of numerous Ukrainian hetmans and other cossacks leaders

• Ivan Pidkova - zaporizhian cossacks leader, moldavian hospodar in 1577–1578 years
• Ivan Kuckovych - hetman in 1602–1603 years
• Ivan Kosyj - hetman in 1603 year
• Ivan Sulyma - hetman in 1633–1635 years
• Ivan Petrazhac'kyj-Kulaha - hetman of registered cossacks in 1631–1632 years
• Ivan Vyhovs'kyj - hetman of Zaporozhian Army in 1657–1659 years
• Ivan Br'uchovec'kyj - hetman of Zaporozhian Army in 1663–1665 years
• Ivan Samojlovych - hetman of Zaporozhian Army in 1672–1687 years
• Ivan Mazepa - hetman of Zaporozhian Army of both sides of Dnipro in 1687–1709 years
• Ivan Skoropads'kyj - hetman of Zaporozhian Army in 1709–1722 years
• Ivan Velychko-Bosovs'kyj - kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1662 year
• Ivan Sirko - the most famous cossacks' leader; kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1663—1664 and 1673–1680 years, wins in 65 fights, never defeated, is said to be kharakternyk (magician), was called by tartars and turks as "urus shaitan" - the devil of Rus'-Ukraine; signed the Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire in 1676 year
• Ivan Shcherbyna - kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1664 year
• Ivan Zhdan - kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1666–1667 years
• Ivan B'elkovs'kyj - hetman of Zaporozhian Army in 1668 year
• Ivan St'ahajlo - kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1680–1681 years
• Ivan Bilyc'kyj - kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1733, 1735, 1738, 1760, 1765 years
• Ivan Malashevych - kosh's otaman of Zaporozhian Army in 1716-1720, 1734–1735 years

Czech Republic

• Saint Ivan (Bohemian, the Hermit) – legendary first Bohemian hermit from Svatý Jan pod Skalou

Country-neutral use

Sports

• Iván Campo, Spanish footballer
• Iván Córdoba, Colombian footballer
• Iván Emmanuel González, Paraguayan footballer
• Iván Helguera, Spanish footballer
• Iván Hurtado, Ecuadorian footballer
• Ivan Lendl, Czech-American tennis player
• Ivan Ljubičić, Croatian tennis player
• Ivan Miljković, Serbian volleyball player
• Dr. Ivan Osier, Danish épée, foil, and sabre fencer, 25x Danish champion
• Ivan Petrov, Bulgarian-English free runner
• Iván Rodríguez, Major League Baseball player
• Ivan Wilfred Johnson, Canadian hockey player
• Iván Zamorano, Chilean footballer
• Iván Zarandona, naturalized Equatoguinean footballer
• Ivan Zaytsev, Italian volleyball player

Arts

• Ivan Brunetti, cartoonist
• Ivan Bunin, Russian writer and Nobel laureate
• Ivan Della Mea, Italian singer-songwriter
• Ivan Dixon, American actor, director and producer
• Ivan Doroschuk, lead vocalist for Men Without Hats
• Ivan Graziani, Italian singer-songwriter
• Ivan Jones, British Writer and poet
• Ivan Kral, musician
• Ivan L. Moody, singer of heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch
• Ivan Turgenev, Novelist in 19th century
• Ivan Franko, Ukrainian writer
• Iván (singer) - stage name of Spanish singer Juan Carlos Ramos Vaquero ("Fotonovela")

Other

• Ivan J. Parron, Entertainment attorney and entrepreneur
• Ivan Aboimov, Russian diplomat and an abassador
• Ivan Agayants, Soviet intelligence officer of Armenian origin
• Ivan Ahčin, Slovene sociologist, publicist, journalist, author and politician
• Ivan Aksakov, Russian littérateur and notable Slavophile
• Ivan Chermayeff, Graphic Designer
• Ivan Milat, Croatian Australian serial killer famous for the backpacker killings
• Ivan Wettengel, Naval Governor of Guam
• Iwan Hattingh, Shipping Tycoon and Comedy Legend
• Ivan Malamen, Software engineer from Ukraine

Fiction

• Ivan, a fictional secondary character of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
• Ivan Braginski, the given name to the representation of Russia in the manga series, Hetalia: Axis Powers.
• Ivan the Fool, a fictional character of Ivan the Fool (story)
• Ivan Vanko, an antagonist from the Marvel Comics franchise The Invincible Iron Man and appears as the primary antagonist in the sequel to the film adaptation.
• Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, a fictional character of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
• A character in Nintendo's Golden Sun
• Ivan Vassilevich Lomov, a character in Anton Chekhov's one-act play, A Marriage Proposal
• Ivan Raidenovich Raikov, a character who appears in Hideo Kojima's video game, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater'.
• Ivan Ilych, the title character of Leo Tolstoy's book, The Death of Ivan Ilych.
• Ivan Karamazov, brother of protagonist Alyosha Karamazov, in Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, The Brothers Karamazov
• Ivan is the doorman in the 2006 film Curious George.
• Ivan Veen is the main character of Vladimir Nabokov's Ada or Ardor.
• Ivan Drago is the popular Soviet boxer and nemesis of Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV.
• Ivan Nikolayevich Ponyryov (Bezdomny), a character in Mikhail Bulgakov's novel, The Master and Margarita
• Ivan Shawbly, a fictional character from the television series Mona the Vampire

References

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