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Vančo is a South Slavic given name, primarily used in Macedonia and Bulgaria, functioning as a diminutive or hypocoristic form of Ivan, itself the South Slavic reflex of the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning God is gracious. As a pet form, it follows a common Balkan naming pattern in which the initial syllable of Ivan is reduced and affectionate suffixes are appended. The name shares its ultimate Hebrew root with John, Johann, Giovanni, and Ioan, among many other European cognates. Vanče is a closely related variant found in the same regional traditions.