Ivan sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Evan, Ian, and Ewan are the closest matches by sound. Most share Ivan's Russian-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"God is gracious"
"from Lucania"
"gift of God; Yahweh has given"
"man from Lucania"
"brave as a lion"
"defender of men"
"youthful, downy-bearded"
"man, full-grown man"
"supplanter"
"God is with us (messianic)"
"breath, vapor, impermanence"
"savior"
"protector of humanity"
"industrious, striving"
"from Laurentum, crowned with laurel"
"beloved, may God protect"
"gift of God"
"God is my strength"
"farmer; earth worker; tiller of the soil"
"born on Sunday"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Ivan — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew (via Slavic) origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Ivan.
Rhythm: Ivan is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.