The first name Genevieve
A girl’s name from French meaning “kin”, “family”, “woman”.
Pronounced /ˈdʒɛn.ɪˌviːv/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
French origin
Genevieve means “kin”, “family”, “woman” in French.
Borrowed from French Geneviève (patron saint of Paris), from Latin Genovefa, Genoveva, possibly either of Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kunją (“kin, family”) + *wībą (“woman, wife”), or of Celtic origin, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *genos (“family, clan”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 83 girls were named Genevieve, making it the 478th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 117 births (#397).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Genevieve with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Genevieve at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,981 girls born in the United States were named Genevieve, the 148th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 3,304 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Genevieve in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Genevieve
61 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Geneviève BujoldCanadian actress (born 1942)
- Geneviève PageFrench actress (1927–2025)
- Genevieve PadaleckiAmerican actress, born 1981
- Geneviève GradFrench actress, singer, antique and cultural event manager (1944–2024)
- Genevieve TobinAmerican actress (1899-1995)
- Marie-Geneviève-Charlotte Thiroux d'ArconvilleFrench scientist, 1720–1805
- Geneviève de Gaulle-AnthoniozFrench resistance member (1920-2002)
- Marie-Geneviève BouliardFrench artist (circa 1763–1825)
- Genevieve BuechnerCanadian actress, born 1991
- Genevieve GauntDutch-British actress, born 1991
- Geneviève LacasseCanadian ice hockey player, born 1989
- Geneviève LalondeCanadian middle- and long-distance runner, born 1991
More French girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Genevieve mean?
- Genevieve means “kin”, “family”, “woman” in French.
- What is the origin of the name Genevieve?
- Borrowed from French Geneviève (patron saint of Paris), from Latin Genovefa, Genoveva, possibly either of Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kunją (“kin, family”) + *wībą (“woman, wife”), or of Celtic origin, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *genos (“family, clan”).
- How popular is the name Genevieve?
- In 2025, 83 girls born in England and Wales were named Genevieve, ranking 478th. Its peak was 2012, with 117 births.
- What are nicknames for Genevieve?
- Common nicknames for Genevieve include Gene, Gen, Gena, Genny.
- Is Genevieve a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 125,282 US babies named Genevieve since 1880 were girls.
- When was Genevieve most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 3,304 babies were named Genevieve, its highest rank at 81st.
- How do you pronounce Genevieve?
- Genevieve is /ˈdʒɛn.ɪˌviːv/, 3 syllables.