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Ivan

Boy name · 283 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Ivan: 283 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 19 births in 2022.

Ivan is the Slavic and Russian form of John, ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious." Perhaps the most famous bearer is Ivan the Terrible, the formidable 16th-century Tsar of Russia who expanded the nation's borders, though the name also belongs to the pioneering physiologist Ivan Pavlov and tennis champion Ivan Lendl. Geographically, the city of Ivanovo in Russia shares the name's root, as does the Croatian island of Sveti Ivan (St. John). In Scotland, where the Gaelic equivalent Iain is more common, Ivan gained a literary boost through Sir Walter Scott's classic novel *Ivanhoe*, whose hero bears the Old English form of the name. This cross-cultural classic has a steady, international appeal that sits comfortably alongside its Scottish cousins.