It was named after 544-ton schooner Ingolf, used for hydrographic surveys in the waters off Greenland in 1879 and 1895; this vessel had also been used by Andreas Peter Hovgaard on a voyage to the West Indies in 1884–85.

On the fjord's southern shore lie the Princess Caroline-Mathilde Alps and the terminus of the Spaerre Brae glacier (Brede Spærregletscher), about 40 km (25 miles) from its mouth.

The Bjørne Glacier discharges from the west side of the outer Ingolf Fjord, draining the Princess Elizabeth Alps range to the north.

[2] The southern end of the Princess Elizabeth Alps and the Hjorne Glacier (Hjørnegletscher) are located on the north side of the inner fjord.

The Nunataami Elv river valley — the outflow of Romer Lake further north — discharges at the northern inner arm of the fjord.