Ignatz

Meaning of Ignatz

Ignatz is a masculine given name that originates from the Latin cognomen Ignatius, denoting “ardent” or “fiery,” and is articulated in German as /ɪkˈnaːts/ and in English as /ɪgˈnæts/. In the United States, its usage peaked in the late 19th century—attaining a rank of 210th in 1884—before undergoing a steady decline to 539th by 1928, a trajectory reflective of evolving naming conventions within Anglo-American demographics. Its initial adoption among Catholic immigrant communities is attributable to the enduring veneration of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, while its reappearance as Ignatz Mouse in early 20th-century comic strips underscores a secondary popular-culture resonance. These historical and sociological dimensions combine to position Ignatz as a technically significant case study in onomastics.