Ignatz
A masculine Slavic form of Ignatius, meaning "ardent" or "fiery one".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Ignatz. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ignatz today is around 94 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ignatz births was 1914 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ignatz. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ignatz is about 94 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ignatz' were born before 1942.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ignatz. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1914
19 babies that year
Average age
94
years old
1928 SSA rank
#3,219
Tracked since 1884
Popularity
Ignatz: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ignatz from the 1880s through to the 1920s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 92 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Ignatz remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ignatz by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ignatz during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ignatz' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ignatz
The given name Ignatz traces its origins back to the Late Latin name Ignatius, which was derived from the Roman family name Egnatius. Egnatius is thought to have originated from the Latin word "ignis," meaning fire. The name Ignatius was popularized by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, an early Christian martyr who was born around 35 AD and died around 107 AD.
The name Ignatz is a Germanic variation of Ignatius, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the Middle Ages. It was particularly popular in German-speaking regions of Europe during this time period. Some of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in medieval records and documents from areas such as modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Ignatz was Ignatz of Wessenberg, a German Catholic theologian and church reformer who lived from 1773 to 1858. Another notable bearer of the name was Ignatz Moscheles, a Czech-born composer and piano virtuoso who lived from 1794 to 1870.
In the 19th century, the name Ignatz gained popularity in certain parts of Europe, particularly in German-speaking regions. One famous bearer of the name from this period was Ignatz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician who lived from 1818 to 1865 and is known for his pioneering work in the field of antiseptic procedures.
Another well-known individual with the name Ignatz was Ignatz Waghalter, a German-born American vaudeville performer and comedian who lived from 1881 to 1968. He was best known for his role as the character Ignatz Mouse in the comic strip "Krazy Kat" by George Herriman.
While the name Ignatz has its roots in Late Latin and has a long history of use in various parts of Europe, particularly in German-speaking regions, it has become less common in modern times. However, its historical significance and association with notable figures from different eras continue to make it a unique and memorable name.
People
Ignatz + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ignatz as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ignatz: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ignatz?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ignatz going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Ignatz a common name?
We classify Ignatz as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 158 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ignatz most popular?
The single biggest year for Ignatz was 1914, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ignatz is about 94 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ignatz in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ignatz a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ignatz in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ignatz still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ignatz in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ignatz can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Ignatz?
See how many Americans are named Ignatz on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.