The nameVania
Vania is a name with two lives: a Russian boy's nickname and a girl's name in Latin America and Italy.
- Girl's name
- Russian
Meaning
Vania comes from Vanya, the Russian pet form of Ivan, "God is gracious". As a girl's name it is also linked to Vanessa.
Origin
Russian.
History
Anton Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya, first staged in Moscow in 1899, made this pet name known worldwide. In Russian Vanya is a boy's name; elsewhere its -a ending has made it a girl's name, especially in the United States and Latin America, where it reached its best rank, 1516th, in 2007.
Popularity of the name Vania
Vania in the United States
Vania was most popular in the United States in the 2000s, with 688 births over the decade, 23% of all recorded babies named Vania. Its rise began around 1971, and it peaked in 2007. Half of all babies named Vania in the United States were born before 2003. Over the last five years on record, it has been falling: 55 births a year on average, against 69 in the five years before.
Variants and related names
Sibling names for Vania
Names from the same generation as Vania, whose popularity in the United States has followed a similar path.
How many people are named Vania? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz
Compare Vania with another name
Meaning, origin and popularity of Vania side by side with the name of your choice.
Vania in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Vania mean?
Vania comes from Vanya, the Russian pet form of Ivan, "God is gracious". As a girl's name it is also linked to Vanessa.
What is the origin of the name Vania?
Russian.
Is Vania a girl's or a boy's name?
Vania is a girl's name.
How popular is the name Vania?
In 2024, Vania was the 2814th most popular name for baby girls in the United States, with 59 births.
What are the variants of the name Vania?
Variants and related names of Vania include Ivan and Jean.
What are good sibling names for Vania?
Names from the same generation, with a similar popularity in the United States: Svetlana, Samia, Nadine and Rania for a sister, Nahum, Abdoulaye, Adel and Edmond for a brother.