Boy · #4,037 in 2026

Nacho

Nacho is the common short form of the Spanish name Ignacio. The feminine form is Nacha, for the given name Ignacia.

  • Spanish
Current Rank
#4,037
Peak Rank
#2,847 (1962)
Total Babies
56
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1920
First Year
1964
Last Year
1962
Peak Year
#2847
Peak Rank
56
Total Count
10
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nacho

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Nacho is the common short form of the Spanish name Ignacio. The feminine form is Nacha, for the given name Ignacia.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Spanish
Origin & history
Although there is no official record for it, it seems to be connected with the visit of Ignacio de Loyola to Rome in 1538 to get the Pope's approval for his foundation of the Company of Jesus . During his stay in Italy , the Italian pronunciation of his Spanish name, Ignacio, led to the form Nacho and remained as a familiar way to address people named Ignacio. Since then, Jesuits are commonly called "nachos".

The Story of Nacho

American parents first put Nacho on the record books as a baby boy name in 1920, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1962, when 9 Nachos were born — ranking #2,847 that year. About 34% of every Nacho on record arrived during the 1960s, its defining decade. Nacho last appeared in the published SSA data in 1964, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 56 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
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WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
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NE
MO
KY
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MD
DE
DC
UT
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NC
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Top 10
11-50
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500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Nacho

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nacho. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Nacho

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nacho is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Nacha
  • Necho
  • Nasho
  • Nachos
  • Nano
  • Nietzsche
  • Nacht
  • Natch
  • Nach
  • Nasha
  • Nici
  • Nicci

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nacho

What does the name Nacho mean?
Nacho is the common short form of the Spanish name Ignacio. The feminine form is Nacha, for the given name Ignacia.
What is the origin of the name Nacho?
Nacho has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Spanish.
How popular is Nacho in 2026?
In 2026, Nacho ranks #4,037 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Nacho most popular?
Nacho reached its peak popularity in 1962, ranking #2,847 that year with 9 babies given the name.
Is Nacho a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nacho is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Nacho?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nacho include Shadrach, Sebastain, Elnathan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Nacho?
Common variants and related forms of Nacho include Ignacio, Nacio. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Nacho

Nacho is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 56 births in the dataset. Nacho's peak popularity came in 1962 when it ranked #2,847. Use the chart and map above to compare Nacho's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.