Ivanna is a Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Ivan, which is Russian, Czech, Croatian and Slovene form of John. This was the name of several rulers of Moscow , including Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible, the first czar of Russia . Other notable bearers include Ivan Turgenev, a Russian author who wrote 'Fathers and Sons', and Ivan Pavlov, a scientist and physiologist best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.

The name of Ivanna contributes sensitive, creative, and idealistic qualities to its bearer's nature that could be expressed in a variety of literary or artistic fields.