The first name Ignatius
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “fire”, “fiery one”, “indigene”.
Pronounced /ɪɡˈneɪ.ʃəs/ 3 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Ignatius means “fire”, “fiery one”, “indigene” in Latin.
From Latin Ignātius, variant of gens name Egnātius, altered to resemble ignis (“fire”), establishing a folk etymology meaning akin to “Fiery One”. Of uncertain origin, perhaps originally borrowed from Etruscan. It might be related to Ancient Greek ἴγνης (ígnēs, “indigene”), ἴγνητος (ígnētos), from *ἔν-γνη-τες (*én-gnē-tes), formed from έν (én) + Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to give birth, produce”), also seen in γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “to come into being”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 7 boys were named Ignatius, making it the 2,952nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2020, with 12 births (#1,825).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ignatius with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ignatius at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 100 boys born in the United States were named Ignatius, the 1,664th most popular boys’ name that year.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Ignatius in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Ignatius in Dutch, Latin and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Ignatius
- Iggy
Famous people named Ignatius
25 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ignatius Suharyo HardjoatmodjoCatholic Cardinal, born 1950
- Ignatius Kung Pin-MeiCatholic cardinal (1901–2000)
- Ignatius Aphrem II123rd Syriac Orthodox Patriarch
- Ignatius Loyola DonnellyAmerican politician (1831-1901)
- Ignatius MaloyanArmenian Catholic archbishop, martyr and saint, 1869–1915
- Ignatius Gabriel I TappouniCatholic cardinal (1879–1968)
- Ignatius GanagoCameroonian association football player, born 1999
- Ignatius Afram I Barsoum120th Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch (1887–1957)
- Ignatius PersicoCatholic cardinal (1823–1895)
- Edmund Ignatius RiceFounder of the Congregation of Christian Brothers, 1762–1844
- Ignatius Bedros XVI BatanianArmenian Eastern patriarch (1899–1979)
- Ignatius SanchoBritish composer, writer and grocer, 1729–1780
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Ignatius mean?
- Ignatius means “fire”, “fiery one”, “indigene” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Ignatius?
- From Latin Ignātius, variant of gens name Egnātius, altered to resemble ignis (“fire”), establishing a folk etymology meaning akin to “Fiery One”. Of uncertain origin, perhaps originally borrowed from Etruscan. It might be related to Ancient Greek ἴγνης (ígnēs, “indigene”), ἴγνητος (ígnētos), from…
- How popular is the name Ignatius?
- In 2025, 7 boys born in England and Wales were named Ignatius, ranking 2,952nd. Its peak was 2020, with 12 births.
- What are nicknames for Ignatius?
- Common nicknames for Ignatius include Iggy.
- Is Ignatius a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 4,075 US babies named Ignatius since 1880 were boys.
- When was Ignatius most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 100 babies were named Ignatius, its highest rank at 1,664th.
- How do you pronounce Ignatius?
- Ignatius is /ɪɡˈneɪ.ʃəs/, 3 syllables.