Meaning & Origin
Alternative spelling of Vanya.
Vania is a girl's baby name, an alternate spelling of Vanya, a Russian diminutive of Ivan (John), from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning 'God is gracious.' As a feminine name, Vania carries the soft, warm quality of Slavic diminutive forms used independently.
Vania is used across Slavic-influenced and Russian-heritage communities, and has a gentle, flowing quality that works naturally in English. Its connection to Ivan/John — one of the most enduring name families in both Western and Eastern European traditions — gives it a historical depth that its soft sound might not immediately suggest.