Ignatius

[DaisyJoy1]

Looking for a saint name for next baby! For a girl we have picked Helena and Marina, (we love both, have already posted a thread about this and got lovely feedback, so decided if baby is a girl just to see which names she suits most and save the other name for a potential future daughter!)

For a boy, my husband has decided he loves Ignatius. Which was unexpected! It was suggested on another thread where I asked about saints names for boys and he took a liking to it.

Other names that were suggested that we liked were Moses, Cassian, Fabian.

Was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on Ignatius? Does it seem OTT - is it a bit Jacob Rees Mogg? (DH isn't British and doesn't see any issue with the name, but I feel British people might feel differently. While we don't live in the UK, we still have family there and will be returning every so often, children will be British citizens so British opinions on the name are definitely important!)

He likes nickname Iggy which I feel is the only natural shortening anyway.

Is being a Catholic viewed negatively in some parts of the UK? I’m confused by some of the Catholic comments… I was born and raised in the SE and never had any whiff of anti-Catholic feeling so I’m a little confused that some posters are saying it’s maybe negative to have an openly Catholic name?

@DaisyJoy1 Only in Northern Ireland, Glasgow and, apparently, Liverpool 🤷‍♀️

Otherwise, no. Not at all.

hmm, a Catholic still can't become the monarch

@Maëlys, you'll be telling us next that's there's no anti-semitism in the UK.

imaginary anti catholic discrimination?

@SizzlerFizzler Yes, it’s absolute bollocks to suggest that Northern Ireland apart, catholics are an oppressed minority across the UK.

@ZoyaTheDestroyer I am as my parents' old neighbour was high up in the 'Lodge' but my DH is RC as are lots of friends.

In my experience only (although I am agnostic) I am unaware that anyone has experienced any issues or prejudice

Yes I obviously know about the situation in Northern Ireland and the history around that. My question should have probably read ‘England’ and not ‘The UK’.

I am actually from a town very, very close to Lewes, lived there for a while, and have been to the bonfire on multiple occasions, and literally never noticed that before 😂😂 maybe I’m just incredibly unobservant!

so it's not imaginary then.

But the majority of people don’t live in NI, and I’m not going to claim I feel oppressed living in southern England because of what’s happening there this is turning into such a weird thread.

I really like it. But I feel like it’s definitely got an essence of grandeur to it, like it’s a name with big expectations, great things will be expected from this boy! I’d be bitterly disappointed to meet an Ignatius who’s a bit of a slacker in life 😂 But that’s no bad thing.

@Maelys, did I say it did?

Prejudice or bias against or for race and religion exists. RC might not be a minority religion in the UK, but there is anti-Catholic discrimination even where you might not expect it.

I've witness anti-Christian bullying in the workplace, and mockery of minority but well-known Christian religious groups.

Just as well no one is asking you to, isn’t it?

I'd definitely think you were big Harry Potter fans, wouldn't necessarily think of the Saint.

Who’s called Ignatius in Harry Potter?

Fabian is a good name. The left will like it because Fabian society, the traditionalists will like it because of the Roman General, and the holy will like it because he is a very appealing early Pope, a peacemaker and conciliator.

jesuitical Ignatius, not such a good vibe for me.

Ignotus is one of the original owners of the deathly hallows. He's buried in the graveyard near Harry parents. I know it's not the same name, just sounds very similar to me.

I love ignatius. But I love unusual names and my son has an unusual name 'big name' and manages to put it off. He says he loves it atm. People can think it is pretentious but actually it fits with him and who we are as a family so anyone who knows us, gets why it.

Ignatius makes me think of fire breathing dragons. This is enough of a reason to go with it.

If I were to have another boy I think this would be in my top 3. To hell with everyone else and safe conformity.

I believe Ignatius is Percy Weasley's middle and and POSSIBLY also a sibling of someone... Sirius maybe? (I am a massive HP fan so don't mind if that's someone's assumption 😂)

Oh! I just Googled it. Ignatius was an uncle of Sirius.

And yes, Percy's full name is Percival Ignatius Weasley. I mean if you think Ignatius is bad, at least it's not Percival Ignatius.

As for the anti-Catholic discrimination, well, I suppose although I have never experienced this in the sense of violence or real hatred towards individuals, there is definitely a lot of negative feelings towards the Catholic Church as an institution, and it is definitely not my place to claim that this has never spilled over into affecting individual people.

Just because we haven't experienced discrimination doesn't mean that others haven't. We don't get to claim that discrimination towards a group of people doesn't exist, because it's not fair to say that just because WE haven't experienced something, that NOBODY has.

So I agree with both posters. To the person who is feels that anti-Catholic discrimination doesn't exist - well, I haven't really got much of a feel for it either. But that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

To the poster who says it does exist - you may well be right. You may not. But I would never deliberately undermine someone's experiences by saying that it basically hasn't happened so perhaps there is some level of anti-Catholic discrimination. Given the feeling towards the Church as an institution it isn't outside the realms of possibility that this has affected individuals too.

Fabian is a beautiful name.

Until your post, I hadn't joined the dots and realised that the Fabian Society was named after the 'pick your moment' strategy of Fabius "Cunctator." Thank you!