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Ignatz

♂ Boy

Pronounced IG-nahts /ˈɪɡ.nɑts/Medium

Meaning: Ignatz is the German and Yiddish form of Ignatius, a Latin name of uncertain deeper origin that popular tradition connects to ignis, 'fire,' giving it a folk sense of 'fiery one'; it was common among German- and Central European Jewish immigrant families.Low

In 30 seconds: Ignatz is the German form of Ignatius, popularly linked to the Latin for 'fire.' It arrived with immigrant families, peaking around 1914 (said IG-nahts).

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Origin LowGerman, Latin

MeaningIgnatz is the German and Yiddish form of Ignatius, a Latin name of uncertain deeper origin that popular tradition connects to ignis, 'fire,' giving it a folk sense of 'fiery one'; it was common among German- and Central European Jewish immigrant families.

U.S. rank (1928)#3219 ↗ Rising

1928 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1914

Total births (all-time)≈ 158

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ignatz is the German and Yiddish form of Ignatius, a Latin name popularly tied to ignis, 'fire.' It came to the United States with German, Austrian, and Central European Jewish immigrant families in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Ignatz was never widespread here, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak around 1914, fading as immigrant-era naming patterns gave way to more anglicized forms. A boy named Ignatz then would have lived through most of the twentieth century.

Did you know? Ignatz is also the name of the brick-throwing mouse in the classic comic strip Krazy Kat, a nod to the name's once-familiar presence in early twentieth-century immigrant communities.

Overall data confidence 50%

References - Ignatz — German/Yiddish form of Ignatius; Krazy Kat's Ignatz Mouse noted as cultural anchor

Variations

IgnatiusIgnazIgnac

Nicknames

IggyNazi

Famous Bearers

★Ignatz Mouse (1913-1944 (comic strip))
the mischievous mouse of George Herriman's comic strip Krazy Kat

If you like Ignatz…

Ignatius— the Latin parent name

Ignacio— the Spanish form of the same name

Ferdinand— a like vintage Central European immigrant-era name

Moritz— echoes that soft -tz sound

Percy— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Ignatz

By themevintage heritage german immigrant-era

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ignatz mean?

It is the German and Yiddish form of Ignatius, a Latin name popularly linked to ignis, 'fire.'

How do you pronounce Ignatz?

It is said IG-nahts /ˈɪɡ.nɑts/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Ignatz a boy or girl name?

Ignatz is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Ignatz?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the nineteen-tens, mostly among immigrant families.