Inigo

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine given name of Spanish Basque origin, borne by a famous seventeenth-century English architect who designed classical buildings
2. A male first name of Spanish origin, one that was carried by a celebrated Renaissance-era English architect of classical buildings
3. The masculine personal name of Basque origin used in Spain and England, notably by a Jacobean architect known for classical design

Etymology: Inigo Jones, the English architect born in London in 1573, brought Italian Palladian design to Britain, and his first name is a Spanish import. It is the Spanish "Íñigo," a name used in Spain and the Basque lands from the early Middle Ages. Its origin is uncertain. Scholars often connect it to a Basque name, "Eneko," but no firm derivation has been established. The best-known bearer of the Spanish form was Íñigo López de Loyola, a Basque nobleman and soldier wounded at Pamplona in 1521. During his long recovery he turned to religious life, later adopting the Latinized "Ignatius," and he went on to found the Society of Jesus.