Genevieve Name Meaning

The name Genevieve is of French origin and is derived from the Germanic name “Genovefa,” which means “white wave” or “fair one.” It was a popular name among early Christians, particularly in France, where it was the name of a 5th-century saint. The name Genevieve is often associated with beauty, purity, and grace. It is a classic and elegant name that is timeless and versatile.

Origins of the Name Genevieve

Saint Genevieve was born in the 4th century in the Roman province of Nemausus (present-day Nîmes, France). She was known for her piety and her ability to perform miracles. According to legend, she saved Paris from an invasion by the Huns in 451 AD by leading a procession of the faithful through the streets of the city. She is considered the patron saint of Paris and her feast day is celebrated on January 3rd.

Popularity of the Name Genevieve

The name Genevieve began to gain popularity in the Middle Ages, likely due to the cult of Saint Genevieve. It remained a popular name in France throughout the centuries and began to spread to other countries in the 19th century.

In the United States, the name Genevieve first appeared on the list of the top 1,000 names for baby girls in the late 19th century and reached its peak of popularity in the early 20th century. It remained in the top 1,000 names for baby girls until the 1960s, but has since fallen out of favor.

Final Thoughts on the Name Genevieve

In conclusion, Genevieve is an elegant and sophisticated name, its origin is French and its meaning is white wave or fair one. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of a 5th-century saint, Saint Genevieve who is considered the patron saint of Paris. The name reached its peak of popularity in the early 20th century but fell out of favor in the 1960s. But it’s still a unique and vintage name that adds charm and sophistication.

Infographic of Genevieve name meaning, which is Genevieve is a French name meaning family woman.
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Genevieve Name Popularity

How popular is the name Genevieve? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 98 879 0.2497%
1911 93 958 0.2573%
1912 92 1,312 0.2602%
1913 84 1,659 0.2926%
1914 76 2,232 0.3203%
1915 76 2,919 0.3213%
1916 76 3,058 0.3166%
1917 77 3,185 0.3184%
1918 81 3,297 0.3072%
1919 89 3,140 0.2999%
1920 86 3,252 0.2925%
1921 90 3,227 0.2818%
1922 99 2,883 0.2588%
1923 97 2,863 0.2556%
1924 107 2,706 0.233%
1925 112 2,394 0.2118%
1926 130 2,013 0.183%
1927 126 2,014 0.1819%
1928 134 1,733 0.162%
1929 141 1,573 0.1519%
1930 143 1,483 0.142%
1931 145 1,331 0.1349%
1932 167 1,127 0.1141%
1933 171 1,035 0.1111%
1934 183 942 0.0974%
1935 193 875 0.09%
1936 212 744 0.0772%
1937 236 653 0.0663%
1938 240 653 0.0638%
1939 251 588 0.0578%
1940 253 579 0.0545%
1941 257 585 0.052%
1942 279 570 0.0451%
1943 282 577 0.0442%
1944 305 445 0.0359%
1945 334 381 0.0312%
1946 340 443 0.03%
1947 391 373 0.0223%
1948 387 383 0.024%
1949 384 376 0.0234%
1950 403 342 0.0212%
1951 454 288 0.017%
1952 463 285 0.0163%
1953 485 270 0.0153%
1954 531 231 0.0126%
1955 527 254 0.0138%
1956 568 225 0.0119%
1957 529 281 0.0146%
1958 548 266 0.0141%
1959 639 195 0.0103%
1960 612 216 0.0114%
1961 550 277 0.0147%
1962 595 234 0.0127%
1963 583 241 0.0134%
1964 608 224 0.0127%
1965 633 190 0.0116%
1966 675 154 0.0099%
1967 680 155 0.0102%
1968 701 142 0.0095%
1969 614 208 0.0135%
1970 590 252 0.0158%
1971 576 259 0.0172%
1972 516 285 0.0209%
1973 562 241 0.0186%
1974 517 283 0.0218%
1975 531 281 0.0219%
1976 477 341 0.0265%
1977 483 348 0.0258%
1978 434 418 0.0311%
1979 444 421 0.0299%
1980 433 456 0.0312%
1981 429 460 0.0313%
1982 422 484 0.0324%
1983 439 432 0.0293%
1984 446 423 0.0284%
1985 434 462 0.0304%
1986 493 392 0.026%
1987 504 377 0.0247%
1988 497 411 0.0264%
1989 556 363 0.0225%
1990 500 442 0.0267%
1991 550 380 0.0233%
1992 529 407 0.0255%
1993 564 381 0.0244%
1994 554 382 0.0249%
1995 530 413 0.0274%
1996 529 402 0.0268%
1997 565 365 0.0247%
1998 537 425 0.0284%
1999 511 466 0.0311%
2000 510 478 0.0313%
2001 478 544 0.0361%
2002 398 705 0.047%
2003 386 756 0.0497%
2004 409 707 0.0464%
2005 395 757 0.0495%
2006 365 851 0.0543%
2007 343 930 0.0589%
2008 323 1,006 0.0651%
2009 285 1,131 0.0757%
2010 275 1,180 0.0819%
2011 229 1,347 0.0945%
2012 225 1,362 0.0956%
2013 213 1,439 0.1011%
2014 207 1,591 0.1092%
2015 178 1,754 0.1205%
2016 183 1,711 0.1187%
2017 179 1,635 0.1171%
2018 164 1,692 0.1232%
2019 162 1,688 0.1247%
2020 170 1,630 0.1281%
2021 153 1,706 0.1396%
2022 165 1,722 0.1305%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Genevieve

If you like Genevieve, you’ll love these other names like Genevieve.

What names are variants of Genevieve?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Genevieve.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Gena

Well-born, noble; juniper tree

Greek

Genavieve

French

Geneva

Juniper tree

French

Geneve

Woman; juniper tree

French

Geneveeve

French

Genevie

French

Genivee

French

Genivieve

French

Gennie

Fair one; white and smooth, soft

Welsh

Genny

Fair one; white and smooth, soft

Welsh

Genovera

French

Genoveva

Juniper tree

French

Gina

Shortened form of Regina

Italian

Janeva

Juniper tree

French

Jenevieve

French

Jennie

A variant spelling of Jenny.

English

Jenny

“The gracious gift of God.” A diminutive form of Joanna.

English

What names sound like Genevieve?

If you like how Genevieve sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Genevieve.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Jenavieve

French

Jennavieve

French

What names are similar to Genevieve?

Find a name that’s like Genevieve, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Guinevere

Fair one; white, smooth, soft

Welsh

Lists With Genevieve

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Genevieve.

Siblings of Genevieve

Mamas with kids named Genevieve also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Annabelle

Lovable and graceful

English

Georgiana

A feminine form of George, which means “earthworker.”

Latin

Jude

Praise

English

Nikolas

People of victory

Greek

Josiah

God supports

Hebrew

25 Comments

  1. We named her after St. Genevieve!

    Reply

  2. Can’t remember where I saw the name originally. But I loved it from the first time I heard it. It’s so sweet and pretty. Tons of nickname options.
    Once I had decided on it, i heard it a few times and when my friend recommended this course I was shocked and pleasantly surprised.

    The only downside is it’s long.

    Reply

  3. My name is Genevieve, and i love it!

    Reply

  4. 1.My husband and I really struggled on naming our baby. We were convinced it was a boy so we only had a few girl names picked out. Then we found out it was a girl and didn’t like any of the ones we had picked! I am very much a “you’ll know when you see her” type person, but my family and husband all wanted to decide immediately so we could begin referring to her by her name.vefkre she came out! We came across Genevieve on a website and thought it was so unique and not very common. I also had a college teacher with that name during my first trimester and thought it was so pretty!
    2. We love how unique it is and that it’s not very common. We call her evie for short and we love that nickname so much. We dislike how difficult it is for some people to spell haha
    3. We absolutely love this name and think it fits our daughter so well! We love that it’s not very common too so when she grows up not everyone like in her school will have that name.

    Reply

  5. When I found out baby’s gender, I went into name search mode. I already have a boy, Giovanni (God’s Grace). I wanted a christian girl name that’s starts with G and found Genevieve which means , God’s blessing.

    Reply

  6. Precious little Genevieve is my third girl, so I named her after myself, but without making it so obvious. She is currently 10 months old & couldn’t be any sweeter! She loves to give kisses, say all the words that start with the letter ‘B’ & spending time outside. ?

    Reply

  7. It was my great grandmother’s name. I love the familial ties to the name, it is also so classic and sweet sounding.

    Reply

  8. My partner has loved this as a girl’s name forever. He has loved it since he named his son, 17-years ago. I love the name as well, so we were good to go!

    Reply

  9. We wanted something classic and elegant, with nickname options so that she can choose what she wants to be called when she’s older! Right now she’s baby Vi ?

    Reply

  10. It my birth name & I gave my daughter my first name. But she goes by middle name mercades

    Reply

  11. Genevieve was my mothers name, she was born in 1922. I was never in love with the name growing up. Many years later the birth of our copper/red haired, peaches and cream, mystical person, I couldn’t imagine naming her anything other than Genevieve. She is every bit of the word “mystical”!

    Reply

  12. She is named after her great great grandmother. We chose her name well before we knew we were pregnant.

    Reply

  13. I liked the name Genevieve because it’s unique but known, elegant and feminine but strong. There are a variety of nickname options which I appreciate because it gives our little girl options to find something that she feels suits her as she gets older. Once I latched onto the name I just couldn’t shake it. I love the way it rolls of the tongue.

    Reply

  14. Sounds beautiful, and its unique!
    It means : family women
    We Changed babys name 5 times or more agreeing with hubby was hard and this was the one that felt right!

    Reply

  15. My husbands grandmother

    Reply

  16. This was my grandmother’s name. She passed away when I was very young. I love this name because it’s very traditional, but can be shortened to Genna, Genni, or Evie to have a more modern feel.

    Reply

    • my name is Genevieve I love the name and it is so lovely

      Reply

  17. Genevieve biblical meaning is God’s Blessing. I chose that name because this is my 3rd child ive had and by God’s Blessing she made it to 36 weeks. My first 2 pregnancy only went to 24 weeks. The first one was a girl weighing 1 pound 5 ounce she is now 12 years old and in a wheel chair they say she is a miracle to have still been alive considering her medical history. My second pregnancy was also a 24 week preemie. A boy weighing in 1 pound 9 ounce. He passed away after 26 days in the nicu due to a fluid build up in his lungs. My son would of been 9 yrs old if he was still alive. I never thought i could carry past 24 weeks so i decided years ago not to have any children. That i was fine with my daughter who is 12 yrs old. My miracle child. But God had other plans and blessed me with this amazing baby girl. So to me she was Gods blessing. So i started looking up names with that meaning and Genevieve was so beautiful and unique i knew it was perfect.

    Reply

  18. It sounded the prettiest with his last name

    Reply

  19. I just loved the name.

    Reply

  20. Named after my husband’s grandfather, Gene. Went well with her sister’s name (Colette). Love the musical quality of it and the variety of nicknames (Evie, Genie, Ginny, Vivi, Gigi) although for now we are just calling her Genevieve! My only complaint is that many people don’t know how to spell it!

    Reply

  21. Have loved the name Genevieve for many years. One of my first childhood best friends was named Genevieve, and I always had that name top of mind. Coincidentally when I met my husband and we started talking about kids he asked me if I had thought about name. I said Genevieve, and he gave a soft chuckle because it was actually his grandmothers name. It was win win for everyone.

    We call her Vieve (Vee-Vee) for short.

    Reply

  22. We chose Genevieve for our third daughter. The name is very feminine and sweet and has many potential nicknames. We had a theme for our girls going of nine letter names, so Genevieve fit right in. Our Genevieve’s name is Genevieve Ivy, which means “faithful woman”.

    Reply

    • Idk if you’ve read any of the other comments, but it’s very interesting that a few of the families named their 3rd child Genevieve. I too, am the 3rd and final of 3 girls!

      Reply

      • I was thinking the same thing!
        I also have a Genevieve. She is my 3rd child as well but our second girl.
        Named after my mom and grandmother.
        We call her Genna

        Reply

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