347,534 Bulgarians Celebrate a Name Day on St. John’s Day

Society | January 7, 2022, Friday // 10:43|  views

According to folk beliefs, St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of brotherhood. People named Ivan, Iva, Ivana, Vanya, Yonko, Joana, Kaloyan, Jan, Jana, Jane, and their derivatives have a personal holiday – a name day.

Among the thousands of people bearing the name, Ivan and its derivatives are 222,830 men, and the women who celebrate are 124,704.

Ivan and Ivanka are in the first place for the most common Bulgarian names in our country, according to the latest national statistics. There are 52,000 women named Ivanka in Bulgaria and 140,000 men named Ivan. 152,000 people hold the first place among men named Georgi, and 107,000 among women are named Maria.

On the other hand, Ivanov and Ivanova are in the first place in terms of popularity of surnames. The Ivanov family has 131,391 members, and the Ivanova family has 137,216.

4723 are the men named Ivan in Stara Zagora, according to a report of the Civil Status Directorate of the local administration. The total number of people celebrating a name on January 7 in the region is 14,223. 1695 ladies with the name Ivanka, Ivana (78) will receive greetings today, and 719 ladies are named with the short form Vanya. Vanyo's name is among 47 gentlemen. There are 128 people from Stara Zagora with the name John (Yoan), and 313 ladies with the name Joanna (Yoanna).

On St. John’s Day (St. Ivan’s Day) celebrate people bearing the names Ivaylo 717, Ivayla - 147, Ivo - 200, Iva - 20. There are 247 people from Stara Zagora named Ivelin, and 9 men named Ivilin. The ladies named Ivelina are also expecting congratulations for their special day, with a total of 534, and named Ivilina are 14 in Stara Zagora. The increasingly popular names Ivalina and Ivona are named 14 and 32 ladies, respectively. Jan (19), Jana (168), Kaloyan (465), Yana (242), Yanka (627), Yanko (232), and other derivatives also have a name day.

On January 7, Bulgarians celebrate St. John's Day - a national and religious holiday, which honors the memory of St. John the Baptist - the last Old Testament prophet and baptizer of Jesus. It is the most celebrated name day in Bulgaria, celebrated by more than 300 thousand people. John the Baptist is also called the "Forerunner" because he walked before Christ and prepared people for his birth.

St. Ivan's Day is a holiday of brotherhood. Folk customs dictate that the best man or brother-in-law "bathe" by publicly spraying water on newlyweds who got married a year ago. The young family must welcome their guests and bring the godfather wine and meat.

The Bulgarian folk tradition connects the rites and customs of St. Ivan's Day with the purifying power of the water consecrated the day before. The period of the so-called "dirty days" is over and everyone is looking forward to the fulfillment of the predictions of good health, prosperity, and happy life.

/BGNES

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Tags: celebrate, Bulgaria, Ivan, John, name day

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