Ivan

A male given name from Russian of English speakers.

Proper noun

  1. A male given name from Russian of English speakers.
    • Amy's husband was called Ivan. Ivan the Terrible, Barry always called him, naturally. 'Ivan? What kind of name is that?' he said to Tracy after Amy's engagement was announced. 'Bloody Russian.' 'Actually, I think it's...
  2. A transliteration of the Macedonian, Pannonian Rusyn, or Russian male given name Иван (Ivan).
  3. A transliteration of the Belarusian or Ukrainian male given name Іва́н (Iván).
  4. A Russian.
    • Ivan is yelling curses at his friends.
  5. Russians (collectively, personified).
    • Ivan is planning an attack on our flank.
  6. A Soviet.
  7. Soviets (collectively, personified).
    • I’m sure whoever was in charge must have been one of the last of the Fulda Fucktards, you know, those generals who spent their nard-drop years training to defend West Germany from Ivan. - 2006, Max Brooks, World War Z:
  8. An online troll who promotes views supportive of Russian nationalism or the 2022 invasion of Ukraine; a vatnik.
    • Ivan, stop repeating Kremlin propaganda.

Origin

From Russian Ива́н (Iván), and from Ivan in several Slavic languages. Doublet of John and its relatives Evan, Giovanni, Ian, Johann, and Sean, etc.

Synonyms

Vanya

Related

Evan Ian Ivanović Ivanovich Ivanovitch Ivanovna Sean

Derived

Ivan Ivanovich Ivan Ivanovitch Ivan the Terrible

Proper noun Entry 2

  1. A male given name from Welsh of Welsh origin.
    • Dafydd ap Ivan ap Einion, an adherent to the house of Lancaster held out, in Harlech Castle, for nine years after the accession of Edward the Fourth to the throne of England. - 1833, George Newenham Wright, Scenes in...

Origin

Rare variant of Evan, from Welsh Ifan, the Welsh equivalent of John.