Ivan Ivanovich

English

Alternative forms

• Ivan Ivanovitch

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian Ива́н Ива́нович (Iván Ivánovič, literally “John Johnson”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪˈvɑːn ɪˈvɑːnəvɪt͡ʃ/

Noun

Ivan Ivanovich (plural Ivan Ivanoviches or Ivan Ivanovichs)

1. An anonymous or stereotypical Russian man; a Russian John Smith, John Q. Public or Joe Q. Public.
2. (fiction) Synonym of John Doe (an unknown person or body), giving a Russian flavour to fiction set in Russia, by using a Russian name in place of the English term.

Coordinate terms

• John Bull
• klyukva (stereotypes of Russia in Western pop culture)
• Vanya (placeholder term for a stereotypical Russian man)