Ignatius

From Namespedia - Names Meaning and Origins

Name: Ignatius

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Europe

Language: Latin

Thematic: Unknown Thematic

Meaning: Ardent, burning, fiery.

Comments: Ignatius comes from the Roman family name Egnatius, which is of Etruscan origin. Its original meaning is unknown, but its spelling was later altered to resemble the Latin word ignis, meaning 'fire'. There are several saints named Ignatius, including St Ignatius of Antioch (35-107), who was thrown to the lions in the Colosseum under the Emperor Trajan, and St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), who founded the Jesuits.