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Home › Baby Names Directory › Irmgard

Irmgard

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Irmgard

Pronounced URM-gard /ˈɪrmɡɑːrd/Medium

Meaning: Irmgard is the German form of the old Germanic name Ermengard, joining 'irmin' or 'ermen', meaning whole or universal, with 'gard', an enclosure or protection. It reached United States records chiefly through German immigrant families in the early twentieth century, and reads as 'universal guardian' or 'all-embracing enclosure'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Irmgard is a German girl's name from old Ermengard, meaning roughly 'universal protection'. It reached America with German families and stayed rare (said URM-gard).
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Origin MediumGerman
MeaningIrmgard is the German form of the old Germanic name Ermengard, joining 'irmin' or 'ermen', meaning whole or universal, with 'gard', an enclosure or protection. It reached United States records chiefly through German immigrant families in the early twentieth century, and reads as 'universal guardian' or 'all-embracing enclosure'.
U.S. rank (1962)#6144 ↘ Falling
1962 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1930
Total births (all-time)≈ 469

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 193019011962

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

Irmgard descends from the medieval Germanic Ermengard, a name borne by early abbesses and noblewomen. The irmin element also stands behind Irma and Emma, while gard, 'enclosure', closes many old two-part Germanic names.

In the United States Irmgard was always an immigrant's name, appearing in small numbers among German-American families and cresting only around 1930 with a few dozen girls a year. It faded by the early nineteen-sixties as the older generation passed.

Did you know? Irmgard shares its first element with names like Irma and Emma, all descended from the Germanic 'irmin', meaning whole or universal.
Overall data confidence 72%
References - Irmgard / Ermengard — Germanic irmin 'whole/universal' + gard 'enclosure'; German immigrant name

Variations

ErmengardIrmengardIrmgardtIrma

Nicknames

IrmaGardi

Famous Bearers

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If you like Irmgard…

Irma— a short form from the same 'irmin' root
Emma— a familiar name sharing that Germanic root
Hildegard— another -gard Germanic girl's name
Gerda— a German girl's name of similar shape

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Irmgard mean?

Irmgard comes from the Germanic Ermengard, blending 'irmin' (whole, universal) with 'gard' (enclosure), roughly 'universal protection'.

How do you pronounce Irmgard?

It's said URM-gard /ˈɪrmɡɑːrd/, two syllables.

Is Irmgard a boy or girl name?

Irmgard is a girl's name.

Is Irmgard a popular name?

No, Irmgard was always rare in America, carried mainly by German immigrant families and peaking modestly around the early nineteen-thirties.

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