Ivan

Ivan is the Slavic cousin of John, a name rooted in the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious," but carried into history on the backs of Russian tsars, fairy-tale heroes, and onion-domed cathedrals. It has always been a workhorse name in Eastern Europe and, in recent decades, a steady presence in Spanish-speaking households as well, which is partly why it sits comfortably in the U.S. top 200. Two strong syllables, a consonant-forward sound, no softness but plenty of warmth. Ivan feels like a name with snow on its boots and a book under its arm.