Vanja

Croatian, Serbian variation of Vanya, Russian

"God is gracious"

Vanja Origin and Meaning

The name Vanja is a boy's name meaning "God is gracious".

Goodbye Uncle Vanya and hello...It Girl baby name? It's true — style icon Chloë Sevigny chose the name Vanja for her son, born in 2020. The name honors Vanja's paternal heritage — Chloë's partner is the Croatian-born gallerist Siniša Mačkovic.

Vanja is the Croatian variation of Vanya, a Russian name that originated as a nickname for Ivan. In Scandinavia, the Vanja spelling is frequently used for girls, while in Serbia and Croatia it is considered unisex.