Ivanov, Ivanoff or Ivanow (masculine, , Sometimes the stress is on Ива́нов in Bulgarian if it is a middle name, or in Russian as a rare variant of pronunciation), or Ivanova (feminine, , ) is one of the most common surnames in Russia and Bulgaria. The surname is derived from the male given name

Ivan Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was the B ...

(related to

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

) and literally means "Ivan's". In Bulgarian, "Ivanov/Ivanova" may also a

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...

part of the full name, literally meaning "Ivan's". Some persons are commonly known by their given name plus patronymic, and the latter may be mistaken for the surname.

People with the surname

* Alena Ivanova, Kazakhstani volleyball player * Alexander Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people *

Alexey Ivanov (disambiguation) Alexei or Alexey Ivanov may refer to: Sports *Aleksei Ivanov (footballer, born 1981), Russian footballer with FC Saturn Moscow Oblast *Alexei Ivanov (ice hockey, born 1985), Russian ice hockey player drafted by the NHL Chicago Blackhawks *Alexei Iv ...

– several people *

Alina Ivanova Alina Petrovna Ivanova (; born 16 March 1969 in Kildishevo, Yadrinsky District, Chuvash ASSR) is a retired Russian long-distance athlete who competing in race walking and road running. She is best known for winning the gold medal in the women's ...

(born 1969), Russian race walker and long-distance runner * Allen Ivanov, American mass shooter, responsible for the 2016 Mukilteo shooting * Almaz Ivanov (died 1669), Russian statesman *

Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov (; 28 July Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/> O.S. 3 July">Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 16 July1806 – 15 July Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 3 July1858) was a List of Russian artis ...

(1806–1858), Russian painter * Anatoli Ivanov (musician) (1934–2012), Russian solo-timpanist and percussionist with the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra *

Andrey Ivanovich Ivanov Andrey Ivanovich Ivanov (; 1775, Moscow - 24 July 1848, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian painter in the Neo-Classical style who specialized in historical scenes.

(1775–1848), Russian painter (father of Alexander Andreyevich) *

Anton Ivanov-Goluboy Anton Ivanovich Ivanov-Goluboy (; 1818) was a Russian painter. Biography Anton Ivanov was born a serf in a village of Kozakovo, Vladimir gubernia. From 1833 he studied painting in Saint Petersburg with Chernetsov brothers. In 1838 he accompanied ...

(1818–1863), Russian painter *

Artyom Ivanov (disambiguation) Artem Ivanov or Artyom Ivanov may refer to: * Artem Ivanov (draughts player) (born 1988), Ukrainian draughts player * Artem Ivanov (weightlifter) Artem Ivanov (born December 16, 1987, in Dnipropetrovsk) is a Ukrainian (until 2014) and R ...

– several people *Clement Ivanov, Estonian e-sport player known as

Puppey Clement Ivanov (born 6 March 1990), better known as Puppey, is an Estonian professional ''Dota 2'' player for Team Secret. He is the founding member of Team Secret. Together with Natus Vincere, Puppey won The International 2011 in August 2011 fo ...

* Daniel Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people *

Dimitrana Ivanova Dimitrana Ivanova, née ''Petrova'' (, 1881–1960), was a Bulgarian educational reformer, suffragist and women's rights activist. She chaired the Bulgarian Women's Union from 1926 to 1944. She was a prominent figure in the early 20th-century ...

(1881–1960), Bulgarian reform pedagogue, suffragist and women's rights activist *

Dmytro Ivanov Dmytro Ivanov (: born 30 September 1989) is a Ukrainian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keepe ...

(born 1989), Ukrainian footballer * Dmitry Ivanov (born 1999), Russian activist and political prisoner *

Elena Ivanova Elena Ivanova (; born 8 November 1979) is a Russian former competitive figure skater. She is the 1995 Finlandia Trophy champion, 1998 Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist, and 1996 World Junior champion. Life and career Ivanova was born in Nev ...

, Russian figure skater *

Georgi Ivanov (disambiguation) Georgi Ivanov may refer to: *Georgi Ivanov (cosmonaut) (born 1940), Bulgarian cosmonaut *Georgi Ivanov (mayor) (born 1954), mayor of Haskovo, Bulgaria *Georgi Ivanov (footballer, born 1967), Bulgarian footballer *Georgi Ivanov (footballer, born 197 ...

– several people *

Georgy Ivanov Georgy Vladimirovich Ivanov (; – 26 August 1958) was a Russian poet and essayist of the Russian emigration between the 1930s and 1950s. As a banker's son, Ivanov spent his young manhood in the elite circle of Russian golden youth. is father ...

(1894–1958), leading poet of the Russian emigration *Georgy Vasilyevich Ivanov (1901–2001), Hero of the Soviet Union *Gjorge Ivanov (born 1960), President of North Macedonia *Igor Ivanov (educationist), Igor Petrovich Ivanov (1923–1992), Russian pedagogue *Igor Vasilyevich Ivanov (1947–2005), Russian-born Canadian chess player *

Igor Ivanov Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov (; born 23 September 1945) is a Russian politician and diplomat who was Foreign Minister of Russia from 1998 to 2004 under both the Yeltsin and the Putin administrations. Early life Ivanov was born in 1945 in Moscow t ...

(born 1945), Russian foreign minister *

Igor Ivanov (Scouting) Igor Ivanov (Russian: Игорь Иванов, born 8 December 1976) of Russia served as a Chairman and elected volunteer member of the Eurasia Regional Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). ‹the web page of ...

, Russian scout leader *

Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov (, – March 20, 1932) was a Russian and Soviet biologist who specialized in the field of artificial insemination and the interspecific hybridization of animals. He is famous for his controversial attempts to create a huma ...

(1870 – c. 1932), Russian biologist *

Ivan Ivanov (disambiguation) Ivan Ivanov may refer to: Sports * Ivan Ivanov (archer) (born 1956), Bulgarian archer * Ivan Ivanov (badminton) (born 1966), Bulgarian badminton player * Ivan Ivanov (cross-country skier) (born 1987), Russian cross-country skier * Ivan Ivanov ( ...

– several people *

Ive Ivanov Ive Ivanov (born November 13, 1985) is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He played at the power forward position. Career Ivanov grew up in Borik Puntamika, but made his pro debut with Zadar in 2003. After the 2003–04 season in ...

, (born 1985), Croatian basketball player * Ivo Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people *

Kira Ivanova Kira Valentinovna Ivanova (; 10 January 1963 – 18 December 2001) was a Soviet Russian figure skater. She was the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, the 1985 World silver medalist, a four-time European silver medalist, and a three-time Soviet n ...

(1963–2001), Russian figure skater * Konstantin Ivanov (disambiguation), several people *

Kristo Ivanov Kristo Ivanov (born 1937-10-20) is a Swedish-Brazilian information scientist and systems scientist of ethnic Bulgarian origin. He is professor emeritus at the Department of informatics of Umeå University in Sweden. Biography Ivanov was born i ...

(born 1937), Swedish information scientist and systems scientist *

Kurbat Ivanov Kurbat Afanasyevich Ivanov (; died 1667) was a Cossack explorer of Siberia. He was the first Russian to encounter Lake Baikal, and to create the first map of the Russian Far East. He also is credited with creation of the early map of Chukotka a ...

(died 1666), Cossack explorer * Lea Ivanova, Bulgarian singer *

Leonid Ivanov (disambiguation) Leonid Ivanov may refer to: *Leonid Ivanov (basketball) (1944–2010), Soviet basketball player *Leonid Ivanov (botanist), Russian botanist *Leonid Ivanov (footballer) (1921–1990), Soviet international footballer *Leonid Ivanov (pilot) (1909–19 ...

, several people *

Lev Ivanov Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet. As a performer with the Mariinsky Ballet, ...

(1834–1901), Russian choreographer * Lili Ivanova (born 1939), Bulgarian singer * Lyubomir Ivanov, Bulgarian scientist, non-governmental activist, and

Antarctic The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is antipodes, diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antar ...

explorer * Lyubov Ivanova (born 1981), Russian long-distance runner *

Maxim Ivanov (disambiguation) Maxim Ivanov may refer to: * Maxim Ivanov (politician, born 1967), Russian politician * Maxim Ivanov (politician, born 1987), Russian politician {{hndis, name=Ivanov, Maxim ...

– several people *

Mike Ivanow Mike Ivanow (born January 9, 1948, in Shanghai, China) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper born in Shanghai, China. He spent eight seasons in the North American Soccer League and was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1972 Summer Olymp ...

(born 1948), American soccer goalkeeper *

Mikhail Ivanov (cross-country skier) Mikhail Petrovich Ivanov (); born 20 November 1977 in Ostrov, Soviet Union) is a Russian cross-country skier who competed from 1996 to 2007. Career He finished second in the 50 km at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City to Spain's ...

(born 1977), Russian cross country skier * Mikhail Ivanov (composer) (1849–1927), Russian composer and critic *

Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov (; born Mikhail Mikhailovich Ivanov; 28 January 1935) was a Russia, Russian and Soviet Union, Soviet composer, conductor and teacher. His music ranged from the late-Romantic era into the 20th century era. ...

(1859–1939), Russian composer, conductor, and pedagogue *

Mirela Ivanova Mirela Ivanova () (born 11 May 1962 in Sofia) is one of the most famous modern Bulgarian poets. Her poems have been translated into many different languages, including German and English. Life She studied at a German language school in Sofia and ...

(born 1962), modern Bulgarian poet * Miroslav Ivanov (writer) (1929–1999), Czech non-fiction writer * Miroslav Ivanov (footballer) (born 1981), Bulgarian footballer *

Nikita Ivanov Nikita Vasilievich Ivanov (; born March 31, 1989) is a Kazakhstani ice hockey forward currently playing for ShKO Oskemen of the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship. He played for Barys Astana in the Kontinental Hockey League during the 2016–17 KH ...

(born 1989), Kazakhstani ice hockey player *

Nikita Ivanov (politician) Nikita Borisovich Ivanov (; born 8 August 1974), is a Russian politician, who was a member of the Federation Council from 2011 to 2013. Ivanov was a member of Vladimir Putin's election headquarters in the presidential elections of 2000 and 200 ...

(born 1974), Russian politician *

Nina Ivanova Nina Georgievna Ivanova (; 6 January 1934 – 1 December 2020) was a Russian-Soviet actress. Filmography *'' Once There Was a Girl'' (1944) *''Nadya'' (1955) *'' Spring on Zarechnaya Street'' (1956) *''The Heirs'' (1960) *''Love Must Be Treasure ...

(1934–2020), Russian actress *

Natalia Ivanova (disambiguation) Natalia, Natalya or Nataliya Ivanova may refer to: * Natalia Ivanova (taekwondo) (born 1971), Russian Olympic taekwondo competitor and medalist * Natalya Ivanova (hurdler) (born 1981), Russian hurdler * Natalia Ivanova (wrestler) Natalia Ivano ...

– several people *

Nikolay Ivanov (disambiguation) Nikolay Ivanov, Nikolai Ivanov (), or Nikola Ivanov () may refer to the following notable people: * Nikola Ivanov (1861-1940), Bulgarian general * Nikolaj Ivanov (astronomer), Soviet astronomer and discoverer of asteroids * Nikolay Ivanov (compos ...

– several people *

Nicolas Ivanoff Nicolas Ivanoff (born 4 July 1967 in Ajaccio, Corsica) is a French people, French pilot and flying instructor, who currently races in the Red Bull Air Race World Series under the number 7. Ivanoff is nicknamed "The Quick Corsican". His highlight ...

(born 1969), French pilot and flying instructor *

Oleksandr Ivanov Oleksandr Ivanov (; born 23 November 1965 in Kharkiv) is a Ukrainian professional football coach and a former player. Career Since 2014 till 2016, he worked as an assistant coach with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. He played 4 games in the Europea ...

(born 1965), Ukrainian football player and manager * Olga Ivanova (disambiguation) – several people *

Olimpiada Ivanova Olimpiada Vladimirovna Ivanova (; born 26 August 1970) is a Russian race walker. Her first gold medal was won in the 2001 Edmonton World Championships, where she beat the rest of the world with the time 1.27:48. A year later, in 2002, she won a ...

(born 1979), Russian athlete * Piotr Pavlovich Ivanov (1878–1942), Russian and Soviet embryologist *

Pavlo Ivanov Pavlo Ivanov (; born 28 September 1984) is a Ukrainian former football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, fo ...

(born 1984), Ukrainian footballer *

Porfiry Ivanov Porfiry Korneyevich Ivanov (Ukrainian: Порфірій Корнійович Іванов) (February 20, 1898 – April 10, 1983) was a Russian mystic whose beliefs have attained a cult status, with followers estimated in the tens of thousands. He ...

(1898–1983), Russian religious leader * Razumnik Ivanov-Razumnik, Russian politician *

Robert Ivanov Robert Ivanov (born 19 September 1994) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back. He represents the Finland national team. Ivanov began his career with Kontu, and made his senior debut aged 18 in 2013 with Myllypuro. Clu ...

(born 1994), Finnish footballer * Semion Ivanov (1907–1993), Soviet general *

Sergey Ivanov (disambiguation) Sergei Ivanov (born 1953), former Head of Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergey Ivanov may also refer to: * Sergey Ivanov (Russian historian) (born 1956), Russian historian and byzantinist * Sergey Ivanov (American football) (born 1985), American footballe ...

– several people *

Sofia Ivanova Sofia Ivanova ( Bulgarian: София Иванова; born 15 September 2005) is a Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. She is a world champion with the Bulgarian team in World Championships 2022 in Sofia and world champion with 3 ribbons+2 balls. She is ...

(born 2005), Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast * Stilian Ivanov, Bulgarian film director *

Trifon Ivanov Trifon Marinov Ivanov (; 27 July 1965 – 13 February 2016) was a Bulgarian professional footballer who played as a defender. Ivanov made his debut for Bulgaria in 1988, earning 76 caps and scoring 6 goals over a ten-year international career. ...

(1965–2016), Bulgarian football player *

Valentin D. Ivanov Valentin D. Ivanov () is a Bulgarian astronomer working in the European Southern Observatory, mainly at the Paranal site. Among his primary research areas are the dynamics of star clusters, formation of stars, brown dwarfs, and exoplanets around s ...

(born 1967), Bulgarian astronomer and science fiction writer *

Valentin Kozmich Ivanov Valentin Kozmich Ivanov (, 19 November 1934 – 8 November 2011) was a Russian footballer who played as a midfielder. He was the co- leading scorer at the 1962 World Cup, and the co-1960 European Nations' Cup top scorer. Ivanov appeared 59 ti ...

(1934–2011), Soviet football player * Valentin Valentinovich Ivanov (born 1961), Russian football referee * Valentina Ivanova (born 1963), Russian discus thrower *

Varvara Ivanova Varvara Ivanova (; born 1987) is a Russian virtuoso harpist and winner of major prizes in many international harp competitions. Biography She was born in Moscow in 1987 and grew up in a family of musicians, with her father baritone Vladimir Ivan ...

(born 1987), Russian virtuoso harpist *

Vasili Ivanov Vasili Vladimirovich Ivanov (; born 21 March 1970) is a Russian football official and a former player. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential foreign signings during his stint in Israel with Maccabi Haifa. Honours * Soviet Top ...

(born 1970), Russian football player *

Viktor Ivanov Viktor Petrovich Ivanov (, born May 12, 1950) is a Russian politician and businessman, former KGB officer, who served in the KGB Directorate of Leningrad and its successors in 1977–1994. He was the director of The Federal Narcotics Service o ...

(born 1950), Russian politician * Viktor Semyonovich Ivanov (1909–1968), Soviet poster artist * Vitali Vladimirovich Ivanov (born 1976), Russian handball player * Vitaly Ivanov (1935–2024), Soviet and Russian naval officer *

Violeta G. Ivanova Violeta Ivanova (Виолета Иванова) is a Bulgarian astronomer. She is credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery of 14 asteroids between 1984 and 1988. She works at the Institute of Astronomy, Bulgarian Academy of Science ...

, Bulgarian astronomer * Vladimir Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people * Vladislav Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people *

Volodymyr Ivanov (volleyball) Volodymyr Timofiyovich Ivanov (, born 10 September 1940) is a Ukrainian former volleyball player who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1968 Summer Olympics. He was born in the Gomel, Byelorussian SSR The Byelorussian Soviet Sociali ...

, Ukrainian volleyball player and Olympic gold medalist *

Vsevolod Ivanov Vsevolod Vyacheslavovich Ivanov (, ; – 15 August 1963) was a Soviet and Russian writer, dramatist, journalist and war correspondent. Biography Ivanov was born on in Lebyazhye, Semipalatinsk Oblast, Governor-Generalship of the Steppes, Rus ...

(1895–1963), Soviet writer *

Vyacheslav Ivanov (disambiguation) Vyacheslav Ivanov may refer to: *Vyacheslav Ivanov (poet) (1866–1949), Russian Symbolist poet and philosopher *Vyacheslav Ivanov (philologist) (1929–2017), Russian semiotician specializing among other in Indo-European studies *Vyacheslav Ivanov ...

– several people * Xenophont Ivanov (1898–1967), Bulgarian veterinary scholar *

Yehor Ivanov Yehor Ivanov (; born 30 August 1991) is a Ukrainian football striker who plays for FC Poltava in the Ukrainian First League. He made his debut for main Illichivets team as substitution in second half in a match against Tavriya Simferopol in U ...

(born 1991), Ukrainian footballer * Yevgeny Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people * Yulia Ivanova (disambiguation) – several people * Yury Ivanov (disambiguation) – several people * Zinaida Ivanova (1865–1913), Russian writer and translator *

Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz (, ''Georgios Ivanof-Sainovits''; 14 December 1911 – 4 January 1943) was a Polish-Greek athlete who fought as a saboteur in the Greek Resistance during World War II and was executed by the Germans. Life Jerzy Iwanow-Sza ...

(1911–1943) Greek-Polish athlete and saboteur

People with patronymic

Desislava Ivanova Doneva Desislava Ivanova Doneva (; born 7 March 1979), known by her stage names Desi Slava () or DESS, is a Bulgarian singer-songwriter and producer. Personal life She has been in a relationship with the Bulgarian boxer Blagoy Naydenov since 2016. ...

(born 1979), Bulgarian singer better known as Desi Slava *

Dimitar Ivanov Popov Dimitar Ivanov Popov () (October 13, 1894 – October 25, 1975) was a Bulgarian organic chemist and an academician of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS; , ''Bŭlgarska akademiya na naukite'' ...

(1894–1975), Bulgarian organic chemist * Dimitar Ivanov Stoyanov (1877–1949), Bulgarian writer better known as Elin Pelin

Fictional characters

*Nikolai Ivanov, the central character of the 1887 play ''

Ivanov Ivanov, Ivanoff or Ivanow (masculine, , Sometimes the stress is on Ива́нов in Bulgarian if it is a middle name, or in Russian as a rare variant of pronunciation), or Ivanova (feminine, , ) is one of the most common surnames in Russia and Bu ...

'' by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...

* D. D. Ivanov, in the Macross universe *Pola Ivanova, from the James Bond film, ''

A View to a Kill ''A View to a Kill'' is a 1985 spy film, the fourteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the seventh and final appearance of Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Although the title is adapted from ...

'' *

Susan Ivanova Susan Ivanova () is a lead fictional character in the science fiction television series ''Babylon 5'', played by Claudia Christian. Character overview Susan Ivanova holds the rank of lieutenant commander during the first season and is promoted ...

, in the Babylon 5 universe * Yuriy Ivanov, in the Beyblade anime series *Ivanova, in Harry Potter who plays as a chaser for the Bulgarian

Quidditch Quidditch () is a fictional sport invented by author J. K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). In the series, Quidditch is portrayed as a dang ...

team *Anton Ivanov, a playable character from the video game ''

Zenless Zone Zero ''Zenless Zone Zero'' is a free-to-play action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo (with publishing outside mainland China under HoYoverse, Cognosphere, d/b/a ''HoYoverse''). The game was released on Windows, iOS, Android (oper ...

References and notes

{{surname Bulgarian-language surnames Russian-language patronymic surnames Patronymic surnames Macedonian-language surnames

People with the surname

People with patronymic

Fictional characters

See also

References and notes