Interesting facts
Vanya is the Russian variant of the Slavic name Ivan, ultimately stemming from the Hebrew name John and its forms such as Johnny or Jane, and meaning "'gracious gift of God", "God is gracious". In Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina it is mainly used as a masculine name, whereas in Serbia and Croatia it is regarded as unisex. The name is also commonly given to baby girls in Bulgaria and in the Scandinavian countries. As a form of John, Jane or Ivan, Vanya is often connected with John — the beloved disciple of Jesus, noted in the New Testament for his steadfast faith and loyalty. Among the Twelve Apostles he held an important place and, according to Christian tradition, is frequently associated with the authorship of several New Testament works, notably the Gospel of John.
