Vanya is best known as the Russian pet form of Ivan, a boys' name in Russia and the title of Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya, but in the United States it is given to girls, who get the soft sound of Anya and Tanya. It is also a Sanskrit name meaning "of the forest", which explains its use in Indian families. Vanya reached number 2194 in 2020 and ranks number 2408 in 2025.