Geneva
Geneva was the 1657th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 125 babies. Its best year was 1920, when it ranked 106th; the most babies were born in 1924 (2,582). Over the last ten years it has moved down 437 places. More babies were named Geneva in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Geneva (city); or short for Genevieve · French, Celtic
Say it juh-NEE-vuh /dʒəˈnivə/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,657 girls, down 223 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 125girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19242,582 babies
- Total since 1880
- 89,067babies recorded
What does the name Geneva mean?
Geneva is the name of the Swiss city, Latin Genava, probably from a Celtic word related to 'knee' in the sense of a river bend or estuary, as Wiktionary notes. As a given name, popular in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was also used as a short form of Genevieve, which DMNES derives from Germanic words for 'kin' and 'woman'. The gin called genever is named from juniper, not from the city.
Genava (Latin (from Celtic), “Geneva”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The city name's Celtic source is probable; a given bearer may have it as a form of Genevieve.
Related names: Genevieve, Ginevra, Neva.
See also: French names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Geneva', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Genevieve', DMNES (Durham University)
Geneva popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 309 since 1912.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,657 | 125 |
| 2020 | #1,434 | 152 |
| 2010 | #1,493 | 151 |
| 2000 | #1,246 | 157 |
| 1990 | #851 | 231 |
| 1980 | #678 | 257 |
| 1970 | #591 | 297 |
| 1960 | #470 | 431 |
| 1950 | #285 | 756 |
| 1940 | #178 | 1,069 |
| 1930 | #133 | 1,798 |
| 1920 | #106 | 2,467 |
| 1910 | #117 | 699 |
| 1900 | #172 | 319 |
| 1890 | #230 | 112 |
| 1880 | #298 | 28 |
How popular is Geneva, counting every spelling?
Geneva has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,491 for girls in 2025, against #1,657 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Geneva?
125 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Geneva (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Geneva born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 67 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Geneva.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Geneva?
About 26,900 people born in the US named Geneva are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 40 and 80. That makes Geneva a name most people associate with older generations. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Geneva by state
How common Geneva was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Ohio (1.7×). In 27 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Geneva: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Geneva, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Geneva · Sibling names for Geneva
Questions about the name Geneva
What does Geneva mean?
Geneva is usually explained as “Geneva (city); or short for Genevieve”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Geneva?
Geneva was the 1657th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 125 babies. Its best year was 1920, when it ranked 106th; the most babies were born in 1924 (2,582). Over the last ten years it has moved down 437 places. More babies were named Geneva in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Geneva a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Geneva in the US.
Where is Geneva most popular?
In 2021–2025, Geneva was most common in Wisconsin (0.15 per 1,000 girls), followed by Ohio and Illinois.