Іван
Iván[iˈʋan]masculine
In Ukrainian, the English name John can be expressed as Іван (Iván), Джон or Ян.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Іван | Iván | [iˈʋan] (narrow) | masculine |
| Джон | Džon | masculine, transliteration | |
| Ян | Jan | [jan] (narrow) | masculine |
The word is a masculine given name. Depending on whether you want to translate the name into a local cultural context or simply transliterate the English sound, different forms are used.
Which one should you use?
Іван is the traditional Ukrainian equivalent of the name John, making it the best choice for localizing the name into a Ukrainian cultural context. Джон is a transliteration of the English name itself. Ян is a variant often used in contexts involving Western Slavic or Polish influence.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Ян is a variant often associated with Polish or Western Slavic influence within Ukraine.
How do you pronounce it?
Iván
Did you know?
- While Іван is a common name, the word іван can also appear in Ukrainian folklore and idioms to represent a simple, naive, or everyman character.
- The Ukrainian name Іван originates from the Hebrew name Yôḥānān, which means 'God is gracious'.
- In Ukrainian, names like Іван have a vast array of affectionate diminutive forms, such as Іванко or Ваня, which are used far more frequently among friends than the full version.
Examples in context
- Джон син Тома.John is Tom's son.This sentence shows the use of the transliterated form Джон.Tatoeba #7603220 by deniko, translation #3000752 by CN
- Іван працює в офісі.Ivan pratsiuye v ofisi.Ivan works in an office.
- Чи знаєш ти Івана?Chy znayesh ty Ivana?Do you know Ivan?
- 652 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oleksandr and Mariia are talking about a mutual friend.
- Олександр OleksandrМаріє, ти бачила Івана сьогодні?Mariye, ty bachyla Ivana syohodni?Mariia, have you seen Ivan today?
- Марія MariiaНі, я ще не зустрічала його.Ni, ya shche ne zustrichala yoho.No, I haven't met him yet.
- Олександр OleksandrЯ думаю, що Іван запізниться.Ya dumayu, shcho Ivan zapiznytsia.I think that Ivan will be late.
- Марія MariiaЦе на нього дуже схоже.Tse na nyoho duzhe skhozhe.That is very typical of him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “john” translations and entries Іван, Ян, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Іван, Ян, ян, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
