Fun Facts About the Name Ignace
- 96 babies named Ignace: U.S. records list 96 babies given the name Ignace from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ignace Mean?
Ignace is the French form of the Latin name Ignatius. Its customary meaning is "fiery," based on Latin ignis ("fire") and igneus ("of fire, burning"). That link was encouraged by early Christian writers, who read the name as a sign of spiritual fervor or of the fire of the Holy Spirit.
A second explanation treats Ignatius as a variant of the Roman family name Egnatius, which is of uncertain origin and is often said to be Etruscan. On that view the fire meaning is a later reinterpretation rather than the name's actual root. Which derivation is correct has never been settled, so the "fiery" sense is best described as the traditional interpretation rather than a secure etymology.
Ignace Name History & Origins
The earliest well-known bearer is Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, traditionally credited with seven letters written in Greek around the early second century, where the name appears as Ignatios. From the Greek and Latin Christian tradition the name passed into the languages of Western Europe; in French it became Ignace, with the final -e silent.
Its wide use in French-speaking regions owes much to Ignatius of Loyola, the sixteenth-century founder of the Jesuits, who is called saint Ignace in French. French missionaries and settlers carried the name to North America: the Jesuit mission at what is now St. Ignace, Michigan, was established by Jacques Marquette in 1671 and named for Ignatius of Loyola. Ignace has remained a given name in France, Quebec, Haiti, and French-influenced parts of Louisiana.
Ignatius of Loyola was born with the Basque name Íñigo and later adopted the Latin form Ignatius; Spanish developed its own related forms, Ignacio and the diminutive Iñaki, while French uses Ignace.
How Popular is the Name Ignace?
Ignace has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1925. Its best rank was #2,635 in 1913.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | #2,840 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1924 | #3,660 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #3,303 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1922 | #4,056 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1921 | #4,083 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #3,346 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #2,774 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #2,985 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1917 | #3,385 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1916 | #4,196 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1915 | #3,220 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #2,781 | 7 | 0.0011% |
| 1913 | #2,635 | 6 | 0.0012% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with I
How the Name Ignace Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Ignace's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ignace's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.