UK boy's name
Ignacio
A masculine Spanish given name derived from the Latin Ignatius, meaning "fiery one.".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ignacio is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ignacio popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 8 births.
This profile covers 91 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 90 living people in the UK are called Ignacio. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ignacio ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 8 boys were registered as Ignacio.
- • About 90 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ignacio as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2021
8 births
Estimated living
90
2026
Meaning
What does Ignacio mean?
The name Ignacio is of Spanish origin, derived from the Latin name Ignatius, which itself originates from the Roman family name Egnatius. The name Ignatius is thought to come from the Latin word "ignis," meaning "fire." This connection to fire may have been a reference to the ardent or fiery personality associated with individuals bearing this name.
The name Ignatius gained widespread recognition in the early Christian era, particularly through Saint Ignatius of Antioch, who was one of the Apostolic Fathers and the third Bishop of Antioch. He lived in the late first and early second centuries AD and was martyred in Rome around 107 AD. His letters and writings had a significant influence on early Christian theology and practices.
Another notable bearer of the name was Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the Spanish priest and theologian who founded the religious order known as the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1534. He was born in 1491 and played a pivotal role in the Catholic Counter-Reformation movement.
In the 16th century, Ignacio de Loyola, a Spanish nobleman and theologian, became a prominent figure in the Catholic Church. He was born in 1491 and is known for founding the Society of Jesus, a religious order dedicated to education and missionary work. Ignacio de Loyola's writings, particularly his book "Spiritual Exercises," had a significant impact on Catholic spirituality.
During the 17th century, Ignacio de Acosta, a Spanish Jesuit missionary, traveled to South America and became a renowned figure in the Catholic Church's efforts to evangelize the indigenous populations of the Americas. He was born in 1592 and spent much of his life working among the indigenous communities in present-day Peru and Bolivia.
In the 19th century, Ignacio Zaragoza, a Mexican general and politician, gained fame for his leadership in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, where Mexican forces defeated the French army. This victory is celebrated annually in Mexico as Cinco de Mayo. Ignacio Zaragoza was born in 1829 and is regarded as a national hero in Mexico.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ignacio over time
The chart below shows babies named Ignacio registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ignacio, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ignacio by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ignacio was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3431 | 29 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3758 | 36 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3166 | 17 | 4 |
| 1990s | #2340 | 9 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Ignacio
- Isaac 49,129
- Ibrahim 14,115
- Ismail 4,679
- Isaiah 4,629
- Idris 3,810
- Ivan 3,146
- Isa 2,943
- Ian 2,805
- Ilyas 2,552
- Ieuan 2,515
- Ibraheem 2,384
- Ioan 2,295
FAQ
Ignacio: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ignacio in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ignacio was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Ignacio most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 8 babies registered as Ignacio in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ignacio?
A masculine Spanish given name derived from the Latin Ignatius, meaning "fiery one.".
How many people are called Ignacio in the UK?
A total of 91 babies have been registered as Ignacio across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.