girl's name
Genevieve
JEN-a-veev
- Origin Gaulish
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 319,993
the United States
#148
2025 births
Genevieve is a girl's name of Gaulish origin whose meaning is not settled. It comes from Genovefa, and the most-argued readings are "woman of the family" and "white wave" — neither securely, since the Gaulish elements are only partly recoverable.
- Genevieve is a name of Gaulish origin.
- Peaked in 1918, when 3,313 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 1,674 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Genevieve over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2021, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 12,425 |
| 1910s | 18,765 |
| 1920s | 37,375 |
| 1930s | 31,930 |
| 1940s | 37,310 |
| 1950s | 31,620 |
| 1960s | 12,885 |
| 1970s | 2,655 |
| 1980s | 735 |
| 1990s | 240 |
| 2000s | 115 |
| 2010s | 55 |
| 2020s (to 2021) | 50 |
What Genevieve means
Genevieve has no agreed meaning. The candidates are woman of the people or family, from a root related to kin, and white wave or white spirit, taking gwen, white or blessed, as the first element.
Where Genevieve comes from
Genevieve comes through French from the Latinised Genovefa, a name of Gaulish origin whose elements are disputed because Gaulish survives only in fragments. The first part is usually read as related to genos, family or kin, though some connect it to the Celtic gwen, white or blessed, which would put it with Gwendolyn and Guinevere. Saint Geneviève is the patron of Paris: in 451 she persuaded the city not to flee Attila's advance, and the Huns turned aside. Her name has been French royalty's ever since, and reached English use in the nineteenth century.
Genevieve in use
Our data marks Genevieve as reviving, peaking in 1918, and it first appears in our records in 1880. It belongs to the same wave of long ornate names now returning as Evangeline, Aurelia, Beatrice and Ottilie, though its revival is American-led where most of that group is British.
How popular is Genevieve?
In 2025, Genevieve was given to 1,981 babies in the United States, ranking #148 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Genevieve is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Genevieve is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Geneviève | Geneviève is a rare spelling of Genevieve, written with a grave accent and recorded about 186,150 times, mostly in France. | 186,150 |
Names that peaked alongside Genevieve
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Genevieve also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Genevieve over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
7 nicknames for Genevieve
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Genevieve in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Spanish
- Genoveva
Sibling names for Genevieve
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Genevieve — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Genevieve
What does the name Genevieve mean?
The meaning is unresolved. "Woman of the family" and "white wave" are both argued, because the Gaulish elements are only partly recoverable.
Who was Saint Genevieve?
The patron saint of Paris. In 451 she persuaded the city not to flee Attila's advance, and the Huns turned aside.
How do you pronounce Genevieve?
JEN-a-veev in English. French says zhawn-vee-EV.
How popular is the name Genevieve?
In 2025, Genevieve was given to 1,981 babies in the United States, ranking #148 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Genevieve a girl's or a boy's name?
Genevieve is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Genevieve?
Genevieve has 3 syllables.
When was Genevieve most popular?
Genevieve peaked in 1918, when 3,313 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Genevieve?
Genevieve is usually shortened to Genny, Evie, Gigi, Neve, Vivi and Genna.
Is Genevieve a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Genevieve currently ranks #148 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.