Hi Swistle,
I am writing to question the seeming total unpopularity of a name I really love – Ignatius.
A brief outline: My husband and I are expecting our second child, a boy, in September. We have a son named Theodore. Our preference for boy names is long, traditional names with a cute shortened version for everyday use and familiarity (Theodore goes mostly by Theo and also Ted and Teddy). We also don’t like anything *too* popular.
Our favourite name for our son is Ignatius with the nickname of Iggy or Nash/Nashy (and maybe even Nate when he is older if he prefers it).
My issue is, it seems like such an unpopular choice … Why? It seems to live in the world of Alexander, Theodore, Oliver, Frederick … But no one seems to use it.
When I research it online it seems to be only discussed as a name considered trendy simply because it is so out of style and even termed ‘ugly’
We really want and plan to use this name – but I thought it might be good to see some discussion – what’s the problem with Ignatius?
I wouldn’t have said that the name Ingatius was hanging out with Alexander, Theodore, and Oliver. I would instead have placed it, as The Baby Name Wizard does, with Leonidas, Tiberius, Octavius, and Ulysses. I wouldn’t pair it with Theodore: I’d pair it with Theodosius or Theophilus.
It’s hard to say WHY we’re not really using that category of name in the U.S. right now. Styles come and go, and some names that would have been seriously startling to use two generations ago are now in the Top 100. Perhaps we will soon have a revival of names such as Euphemia and Euclid. But right now, at the time you plan to use it, the name is extremely out of style, and this will be part of the package deal of choosing to use it. You can do a lot of research trying to figure out WHY it isn’t in style, but I suspect it will be as difficult and as simple as figuring out why we’re not currently wearing togas: they just don’t appeal right now. Perhaps next summer the maxi-dress will be completely eclipsed by the new toga trend (they’re not THAT different), but it’s not here yet.
If you like unusual names, you may want to go ahead and use it anyway, just as if you liked togas I might tell you to go ahead and get down with your bad self. People might be startled (especially when the child’s brother has a Top 100 name), but they’ll get used to it—and may end up envying/copying your style. But with names, it is good to keep in mind that you are making decisions on someone else’s behalf. We can’t know whether our babies will be the type to love an unusual name or hate it, but it’s still a good idea to consider the issue.
For me, Ignatius fails the “Would I want this name for myself?” test. I would recommend having your husband perform the Starbucks test on it: ordering a drink at Starbucks (or ordering anything else at any place where they ask your name) and giving Ignatius as his name. I also suggest that whenever you’re in a busy place for the next couple of months (a mall, a restaurant, etc.), you mentally put the name Ignatius on every boy and man you see: it’s like trying a new clothing fashion on a variety of people instead of just on a model. But again, there’s no real way to tell if he’ll be the kind of kid who fits the name or not. You’ve got some good nicknames in mind, which will help in case he does not. And I think the reaction to the name will be more positive once the child is already named: people feel freer to discuss potential issues when the name is not yet a done deal.
I do think it would make a fabulous middle name. I would not mind at all, if someone asked for my middle name, saying “Euphemia” instead of “Nicole.” I would use it with one of the other names you mention, such as Oliver or Frederick. If it were my choice, I would choose Wesley: wonderful with Theodore, and Wes may be my top favorite boy nickname of all.
Name update:
Hi Swistle,
I would like to send out a huge ‘thank you’ to you and all the commenters on my recent question about the name Ignatius. I was so thrilled and surprised to see that so many people had a positive and encouraging response to the name and during our decision making process I read and re-read the comments many, many times.
In the months, weeks, days and even hours before our son’s birth we were back and forth between using Ignatius as a first or middle name. Ultimately we decided to wait until his birth before making the final decision.
When our son was born we were still back and forth and started calling him Ignatius for the first hour or two, but it didn’t quite feel right. We went back to our finalists and ‘tried on’ our other favourite name and it just seemed to fit. Our son, now six weeks old became
Henry Ignatius
We feel very happy and settled with this decision. He is definitely a little Henry and we often call him the full ‘Henry Ignatius’ just because we love hearing it so much.
Thank you again to everyone for their comments.
I like the name Ignatius but do agree with Swistle that is not the same style as Theodore. While Theodore is a traditional name, Ignatius strikes as a religious name but that may because, raised as a Catholic, I am familiar with Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order of priests. I would tend to pair Ignatius up with Francis, Elijah, Abraham, etc.
That said sibling names do not have to match exactly in style and there are factors that do make Theodore and Ignatius work together. Both are three syllable names with down to earth nicknames. Brothers Theo and Nash, Ted and Nate, Teddy and Iggy all work. It is not like you ate trying to pair up Ignatius with Blaze (where the cool factor and balance seem radically different).
I also think it is important to consider whether the unknown child will wear the name well. That is why I like a name with options such as Ignatius. If your soon-to-be born son is someone who likes to march to the beat of his own drum, Ignatius/Iggy may suit him very well. If he is more of under the radar, fit in type of guy, Nash and Nate both work well for that.
Use the name!
I’ve met a couple of little Iggy’s (short for Ignatius) and it’s adorable on a baby. I also know an Ignatius in his twenties and the name works for him as well. Theo and Iggy <3
I think Ignatius is a bit more usable than the names Swistle paired it with but it’s no where near as mainstream as Theodore. I’d pair Ignatius with Benedict, Ambrose, Philomena and other traditional Catholic names.
My daughter has an Ignatius in her daycare! Called Nate. I found it unusual at first but it grew on me. He has a sister Eleanor, called Nell, so I think it does work with a more common sibling name.
I personally think Ignatius is a really great name, I have no hesitations whatsoever when I hear the name! I have a son named Thaddeus, nicknamed Tad, so that may explain my enthusiasm :) To me it is not nearly so problematic as other names that seem to have gone completely out of style, never to be revived. It certainly has a strong hint of Catholic to me, like if I heard someone naming their baby Bernadette I would assume they are Catholic/have Catholic heritage. I hope you use it.
I think part of the problem is the G to N transition — my gut says that we don’t like those double consonants right now (think Mildred), although I’m sure there are exceptions.
If I met a boy named Ignatius, I would absolutely assume his parents were Catholic, and I think you’d get the same reaction from a decent number of people (full disclosure: I went to a Jesuit high school and college). Which is fine if you ARE Catholic, but might get tiresome if you aren’t.
In short: cool name with a fair amount of baggage.
Good point about the double consonant sound being out of style! When I was pregnant with my first, I pushed hard for the name, Agnes (again, that gn transition), but I couldn’t get my husband on board. We ended up with the much more “in style” sounds of, Adeline. It’s a lovely name, and it’s her’s now, but sometimes I still feel like she should have been Agnes. So if you and your husband both love it, then go for it!!!
Ignatius reminds me of the Peverell brothers in Harry Potter: Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus. Ignotus was the original owner of the invisibility cloak, which was passed down from son to son after his death, and thus became Harry’s. (I have no idea if the names Ignatius and Ignotus are related, or if Ignotus is ever used as a name outside of literature.) Ignotus definitely seems like the most usable of those three names, and so I am inclined to feel like Ignatius is usable as well. And the nicknames absolutely make it familiar enough. However, Harry Potter was my immediate association, and it might be others’ as well. ((A positive for me! But I don’t know if it would be for you.)) I actually quite like the sound of Theodore and Ignatius together! One makes the other more interesting-sounding, and one makes the other more normal/traditional-sounding.
Interesting – I would do a small internal eyebrow raise just because it’s a name I’ve never heard used before, but it certainly has the benefits of being a known & recognizable name. I’m completely areligious so there are no Catholic/Jesuit undertones for me, but I may be an anomaly in that. I do think it pairs well with Theodore, and I love the nickname options. I say go for it!
I’m surprised how familiar it is to me but between Harry Potter (mentioned above), the saint, and even a kid from high school named Ignacio (he was Hispanic, went by Iggy) it really doesn’t surprise me too much,
I like it and I think it definitely works with Theodore. I say go for it!
I think the name is completely usable, it does read Catholic loud and clear to me though! Nothing wrong with that though as I am Catholic. Growing up I seem to remember hearing that name quite a bit though not sure why, my dad’s family was from NJ area very large catholic community. I might be tempted to use it in the middle spot only because your first son has a more mainstream popular name and it may cause feelings of why did I get the obscure name? Cute nickname potential!
I definitely hear Catholic or Orthodox or hipster, but I like it. Theodore to me is sitting midway between Alexander/Frederick and Ignatius/Benedict — it’s recently become fairly popular and familiar, but a few years ago Theodore was a more surprising choice, not far from Paul, with a slight whiff of chipmunk.
(Sidebar: WHY is Frederick so underused? It’s a family name we do not want to honor, or I’d use it in a heartbeat.)
I actually adore names like Theodore, Ignatius, Paul, Frederick, and Benedict. I’d love to see a round up of names like that.
Ha, I know two brothers named Theodore and Frederick.
I think Frederick is underused because Fred is too “hard” for a little boy right now, Freddie sounds too much like a scary clown doll, and Ricky sounds too 90s. I want to use Frederick as well, but I feel like I’d have to go with the full name all the time and I’m a nickname-lover. I guess you could go with Derick or Eddie but … ehhh (though I do have a friend with a baby named Eddie and it’s super cute on him).
I don’t think it’s unusable at all. I might not immediately put it with Oliver, Alexander, and Frederick, but I don’t think they’re completely dissimilar. It reminds me of Francis, Benedict, Maximilian, John, Henry, Xavier, etc. It does come off as Catholic, though (a plus for me but I don’t know how it would feel to a non-Catholic to have a Catholic-sounding name). I think Theodore and Ignatius/Theo and Nash sound great together (especially the nicknames).
Maybe it’s because I knew an Ignatius growing up (I’m 34) but it seems like a perfectly usable name to me, and is adorable paired with Theodore. Plus, so many good nickname options if he decides it’s a little bit too unusual for his taste.
I personally like the nicknames for Ignatius better than the full name itself, but I think if you really love it, you should go for it. Very small percentages of children receive the most popular names – “unusual” names are the norm.
I agree with Swistle’s assessment but I happen to sort of love it. It’s unusual but seems familiar and nickname Iggy is super cute for a little. I’d go for it!
This question amuses me. My very bestie has three sons, Augustine (Augie), Ignatius (Nash) and Theodore (Bear). So obviously I think Ignatius and Theodore go just fine, particularly if you plan on calling him a nickname. As for relative unpopularity, my husband and I considered the name and we are *not* Catholic. We probably won’t use Ignatius because we have one in our circle of friends and because it doesn’t “go” with the style of name I prefer (classic and vaguely British). I think it’s a great name and if you want to use it you should.
I say use it (in case you need any more encouragement)! And it’s interesting because I have my own little Theodore, and as soon as I read this post’s title, I thought, “wow, that’s a cool name.” So we’re on the same page stylistically!
I have a similar love affair with the name, Clarence (nickname Ren) for a future hypothetical son. I just don’t understand why it’s not popular/why people have negative opinions about it. Names are so funny–many of us don’t want to choose a ubiquitously popular name, but none of us want to pick a name that is TOO out there. And sometimes it’s hard finding that sweet spot. Good luck!!
For me, Clarence reminds me of Clarence Thomas and that isn’t a good association.
Clarence for me brings to mind It’s A Wonderful Life. And also a family friend, nm Casey. I like it.
Look up the kids book “Iggy Peck Architect”. It is awesome and has made me like the name Ignatius. Seems totally doable!
Yes! I forgot about this connection, but I loooove that book and it may be why the name strikes a hipster, slight-nerd in a cool way chord.
Yessss!!! Great children’s book and name association!
Sarah, that book is how it got on my “maybe” list and why I found this article while googling for additional nickname options! Love that children’s book author!
I don’t personally prefer the name, but agree that it would great in the middle name slot. Stylistically, I’d also put it more in line with Ulysses or Thadeus. It sounds very Old Testament to me, like Leviticus. If that’s your style, then go for it. But if it isn’t, be prepared that some people will make those associations.
Honestly, it’s your kid to name, so if it’s the one you love, go for it. You don’t have to explain your choice to anyone!
Good luck!
I agree with Swistle about the category of names I’d place Ignatious with. In some areas, this category of names is more common. If you live in an area full of Alexanders and/or Braydons, it could be considered a surprising or even daring choice. FWIW, I like it.
It is Very Catholic for me. This could be a selling point because you could point to the religious meaning/saint as inspiration when you get questions about it (this would be particularly helpful in an area with a lot of Catholics). However, it might be a point against Ignatious if you aren’t Catholic or even particularly religious. I think for people who are familiar with the name, the Catholic Saint is likely to be a very dominate association.
For me, Ignatius holds a lot of appeal as a historically significant Latin name, and it also feels vaguely trendy now because of Cate Blanchett (this is the name of one of her sons). And it’s got a cool meaning!
If people are calling it “ugly,” I think it’s probably because of that first syllable, which tends to appear in lots of words that aren’t so pretty to the American ear. And to me, the nickname Iggy is definitely not pretty–it’s ugly in a quirky, possibly adorable (to some) way. It sounds like “icky.” I have known multiple iguanas named Iggy.
Let me clarify that I actually like this name–although if I were to use it, it would be in the middle-name slot, because I would want to AVOID the possibility of its being shortened to Iggy. And Nash doesn’t feel like quite as natural a nickname, since it changes the long A sound to a short one, but apparently people use it anyway!
I really love the name. I will say that unlike Theodore which feels like an all purpose name, the name Ignatius for me comes with a number of clear ideas about the parent who has named their son as such (almost all of them general and not necessarily bad or good):
1. They are probably Catholic and quite possibly more culturally than religiously inclined.
2. They are probably pretty well educated- Afterall the Jesuits for all of their faults are primarily focused on education, hence all of the Loyola schools.
If you can live with both of these assumptions then I would say go ahead. I would never have used the name for myself, because we are not a Catholic family, but it is to my mind clearly usable.
Hmm, Ignatius is a very familiar name to me because I grew up in New Orleans, and Ignatius Reilly is the main character in A Confederacy of Dunces. There’s an Ignatius Reilly statue and so forth. So the name is very familiar, but I don’t know anyone named it. Maybe because of that, Ignatius feels like a character, even a caricature, but not a real name to me. I’m sure that would change if I knew a little boy Ignatius, though!
Yes! I was shocked that everyone wasn’t saying “I love it, but Ignatius Reilly!”
Although I just went back and read the wiki entry, and I think that I like Ignatius Reilly much more now than I did when I first read the book ten yearsish ago. Not a bad namesake at all.
I always think of Ignatius Reilly when I hear the name, but it’s not at all an unpleasant association. Where I live, I mostly hear the name “Ignatio” and it’s typically on cute little boys.
I think I would be startled on the initial name reveal, but the more I think about it, the more it’s growing on me, and I imagine it would especially grow on me if it belonged to an actual person in my life. Iggy! Nate!
Oh Ignacio! That’s why it sounds familiar to me. I know several (hispanic) Ignacios.
Late to this, but that was going to be comment as well. I went to college with an Ignacio and he went by Iggy and everyone LOVED his name.
I love the name Ignatius and we considered it briefly when we had our first, but ended up having a girl anyway. We also know a few children who go by Iggy (short for Ignatius) and it’s worn so well. We live in a quirky college town in the South with lots of hipster parents so I think it falls under the religious category (Ignatius of Antioch is a hugely important figure in Christianity and Ignatius of Loyola is as well) and/or the hipster category. How great would Ignatius be with a brother named Benedict?
I think the nicknames from Theodore and Ignatius pair well together. I love them.
Our son is Alexander, and if our second had been a boy, I floated Ignatius. I think it might have stuck, even though we have a close-in-age cousin with a foreign language version of the name. (They live in another country.)
I loved it for all the reasons you do – the great nickname potential, the traditional/ancient vibe.
We are Catholic, and I do agree – if I met an Ignatius, I’d assume his family was, too.
But we aren’t necessarily into obscure saint names or driven by those considerations when naming, though I doubt we’d seriously consider a name that didn’t have a clear tie to a saint.
Instead of an Alexander (Alex) and an Ignatius (Nate), we ended up with an Alexander (Alex) and a Claire Caroline (Clio).
I am obviously in the USE IT category since we have our own “August Ignatius” and I LOVE his name. Though we specifically chose it to honor the Saint (we considered both Ambrose and Francis but loved Ignatius more than any other)
I almost never disagree with swistle but I would not put Ignatius in the category she does. I just don’t think it’s as “out there” as a few of those other “toga” names.
While my first inclination was Theodore and Ignatius did not go together I am completely swayed now. I just adore Theo and Iggy : Theo and Nash
We were all set to consider Iggy, Auggie, or Gus as nicknames but it’s funny now because He has yet to grow into any of those and we all just call him August, ha!
Except for the Theod____ names, where I was going only for similarity of beginning, I was careful to choose examples that were as popular as or more popular than the name Ignatius. Here are the numbers of new baby boys with each name in 2015:
Ignatius: 60
Leonidas: 552
Tiberius: 109
Octavius: 57
Ulysses: 180
I’m shocked that there are so many Leonidases, but so few Ulysses. There were 229 Ignacios. 223 Augustins. 212 Achilles. Interesting! Also, only 233 Greys.
Use Ignatius! It’s vivid, colorful, and interesting. All the nicknames pair wonderfully with Theo/Teddy. It’s a slightly unexpected choice but not unknown. I vote use it!
Ps. My great grandfather was Augustin Severus.
I would totally assume you were Catholic. I like Nash much better than Iggy for a derivative, though. While it’s an older name, I think it’s fresher than others, such as Ichabod.
I wouldn’t consider Ignatius for my own (I tend to like short names) but it’s one of those names that I would very much like to hear that someone else has used. Uncommon but classic, interesting, and with cute nicknames–plus Nate is a great fallback nickname in case your kid doesn’t want an uncommon name. Like so many have said, I would,however, be surprised to meet an Ignatius who wasn’t catholic.
Hello,( I’m British Australian, and I live in German speaking Switzerland. That’s my name context for you). I think it’s totally usable. And I get all excited at the thought that you might actually use it! Go for it!
I went to Catholic girls’ school and our ‘brother school’ was called Ignatius College. So I grew up with the name and have strong associations with it. I would personally put it in the category of strongly Catholic names such as Carmel, Lauretta, Xavier. My world spins on its axis a little when I meet a child with one of those names who isn’t from a Catholic background. I certainly can’t imagine a child from that background named Wesley!
If you fit that description (observant Catholic) then I expect the name not to raise any eyebrows in your community. My child is (popular saint) Francis (last name). His name was well received within our circle (delight would be the word) I have suffered the polite pause from others.
I think though if you go outside of the religious (or hipster judging by the comments) community Ignatius would have more difficulties. This is a polarising name both because of the sound ‘ig’ as in ignorant or ignoble and because of its strong Catholic association, as opposed to generic Christian such as Paul or Mark. Usable but not trouble free.
I asked my not particularly religious husband and he said ‘nope’ too nerdy, like Eugene. So that is one less positive association to ponder.
These are just my thoughts and YMMV. For disclosure I am an Australian Anglo-Catholic.
I also think of it as a Catholic name, probably because there is a popular high school near me called St Ignatius.
I quite like the idea of an Ignatius and would encourage you to use it – though, as others have pointed out, the Catholic associations are very strong. And while it’s an uncommon name these days in the US, I’ve encountered a few younger people named Ignazio and Ignacio from Italy and Latin America. Go for it!
My dad’s middle name is Ignatius and I always thought it would be an awesome name for a son. When I was actually pregnant, thought, I really started to doubt whether Iggy would fit a nerdy kid or a shy kid… I’m not sure that I would want to be called Iggy if I were a guy. Plus, my husband wasn’t on board. So, we went with Oliver. But I still love Ignatius in the abstract and can imagine putting it in the middle name slot fir another son. And the letter I is a rocking middle initial!
I looove Ignatius (but then I’m all about the super duper Catholicky Catholic names 😄). Cate Blanchett’s son is a good, current non-Catholic reference, but I actually really wondered if Cate was Catholic specifically because of her kids’ names (which include Roman and Edith, both of which are on the Catholic baby name radar).
I also love the nickname options! They make an otherwise potentially cumbersome name really accessible.
Use it!! I think within certain naming communities, ie hipster or Catholic, it is perfectly in style. Naming is regional, after all. In certain places that I’ve lived, I Ignatius would get hefty eyebrow raising but among a group of like-minded people most likely well educated with a religious background, this name would be very well received. Besides, there’s no guarantee to popularity anyway. Theodore may never know another kid his age with his same name but Ignatius could end up sharing a dorm room with another Iggy. If you love it, use it.
One other person mentioned this, but for me the turn-off with Ignatius is that the only words that begin with its sound and letters are all negative—ignorant, ignite, ignoble, ignominious.
I think this is why it isn’t popular at the moment, in addition to the other stylistic reasons Swistle gave.
If you love the name and it’s right for your family, you should still use it! But—I think I’d rather be called Oliver, Theodore, Frederick, Alexander…
If you like long, slightly fancy names, what about:
Sebastian (Seb, Bastian, Bas)
Bartholomew (Bart)
Balthazar
Barnaby/Barnabas
Fabian
Augustus (Gus, Augie)
Maximilian
Magnus
I love Ignatius! Love love love it. But, I am Catholic so it is a very familiar name to me. What about Sebastian or Augustin? They have the same vibe but are both more common. (I have not read the other comments, so I apologize if I repeated!)
There were a couple Popes named Theodore, so Ignatius pairs well to me although i would assume you were Catholic. That’s not negative to me, mind. (I’m not catholic, though one of my aunts is).
i would try the starbucks test to see if you’re really want to use it or if like my love of the name Alejandro, it’s not going to work for your child. (I’m English and the spouse is Irish, so us using that version of Alexander seems like cultural appropriation to me.) If you still love it on a real boy, go for it!
I think you should use the name, if you love it.
That being said, it strikes me as rather a “posh” upper-crust name. I’m not familiar enough with Catholicism for me to hear it as religious. Instead it makes me think of the fancy Londoners who give their kids several middle names and try to be extra posh. It has a “trying too hard” vibe for me. This kind of style: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-redmond-satran/british-baby-names-choice_b_739957.html
Yesterday I was reading it as 4 syllables, which is a lot for a boy’s name. (Ig-NAY-she-us.) Though now I think it’s likely 3 syllables, which is workable. (Ig – NAY – shus) I think because the “shus” ending isn’t very common in the US, it is more unusual than most name. The only other one I can think of right now is Aloysius, which also pops up as a Saint, when I google the spelling.
I do think Iggy is a very cute nickname and makes the name a lot more usable. Nate is a nice safe option too – it’s almost a shame to go by Nate when you have a very unique name of Ignatius! :P
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned the similarity to Atticus, which has risen steeply in popularity. Granted, that’s in part because of Atticus Finch, but even still, the name and its “-us” sound (and the popularity of August/Gus, too!), it won’t sound as weird to the ear. Given that trend, and the trend of “Grandpa names” for little boys, I think Ignatius could definitely work. Especially with a nickname like Iggy, or Nate, or Nash.
Love Ignatius. Love all the nn possibilities. To add one, knew an Ignacio who went by Nacho. I’m still tickled by it.
Ditto the other comments that Ig- is generally an undesirable prefix in English, as their many examples prove. Also Igg/Nat/Nash brings to mind Nig- which is also a negative association.
Disclosure: I’m one of those still struggling to see how folks can like Agnes, lol. The line between Granny-chic and Granny is sooner than Agnes. Likewise, Fred is Grampy-chic and Harold is Grampy. Ignatius is right at the line for me. However it has the benefit of already being a household name because of all the Ignatius Colleges and Academys.
Theodore reminds me of St Theodore of the Desert, so to me they are Catholic-esque names that would be followed by brothers Felix, Urban, Benedict, and Ambrose.
I personally prefer to MIX styles when naming siblings. So I do think that Theodore and Ignatius go very well together!
I also think that names like Leonidas, Aurelius, etc are coming back. Not in the sense of Next Big Trend, but more in a sense of Next Indie Name Trend.
Ignatius nn Iggy is awesome and I’d call it underused / under the radar, not unpopular. We know that all it takes for the general public to start loving a name is for a celebrity to pick it, and AFAIK with Ignatius, that hasn’t happened yet.
Happy Trailblazing!
Cate Blanchett has a son named Ignatius–born last October, so we won’t know for a while if it will ever make a difference.
Cate Blanchett’s Ignatius was born in 2008. So 8 years ago. I also don’t think one actress picking one name that seems slightly polarizing is going to make that 1 name explode in popularity…and frankly it probably would be great if it did go up a little in popularity, a lot of what makes people think Ignatius is odd is it’s relative obscurity.
I’m kind of shocked by Swistle’s take on the name. I have known many Nachos in my time. Ignatius seems to fit in the cool name category and reminds me of Atticus and atlas.
I see this name growing in popularity in next decade. It had a similar sound to me as Atticus…. And that’s a name I never would have thought would break the top ten when I read “to kill a mockingbird” in jr. High. I think you’re ahead of the curve on this one. If you go with a nickname, I don’t think it’s too far off from Theodore. (Especially if you ever do teddy and iggy). I kinda think that’s cute. And having Nate as a nn option in the future!? Golden! I am also familiar with the name bc of my religious background so that may influence my response and why it doesn’t seem that odd or rare to me. Go for it!!! And update us on the name!
I like Ignatius. If you use it, be sure to buy your son the book, “Iggy Peck: Architect.” My kids love that book, so they would think the name was totally normal.
I meant to add that I wouldn’t have placed it as a Catholic name because, you know, I’m Mormon and live in Utah and don’t know any Catholics in real life. :)
Welcome, Henry Ignatius! Congratulations!