Gene
Gene is a unisex given name. It is often a short form (hypocorism) of Eugene or Genevieve.
- English
- Lithuanian
Meaning & Origin of Gene
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gene is a unisex given name. It is often a short form (hypocorism) of Eugene or Genevieve.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Lithuanian
The Story of Gene
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Gene as a girl name dates back to 1882, when 7 babies received it. 1925 was its biggest year on record, with 374 newborns named Gene — #352 in the national rankings. About 34% of every Gene on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Gene last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 7K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Gene as a boy name dates back to 1880, when 7 babies received it. 1937 was its biggest year on record, with 3,165 newborns named Gene — #61 in the national rankings. About 23% of every Gene on record arrived during the 1930s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Gene ranks #2,040 for boys with 75 births, gradually falling (-6%). All told, over 127K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Gene
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Gene. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Gene
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gene is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gene
What does the name Gene mean?
What is the origin of the name Gene?
How popular is Gene in 2026?
When was Gene most popular?
In which U.S. states is Gene most popular?
Is Gene a unisex name?
What names go well with Gene?
What are nicknames or variants of Gene?
About the name Gene
Gene is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 127K births in the dataset. Gene's peak popularity came in 1937 when it ranked #61. Use the chart and map above to compare Gene's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1937 →
- Names of the 1930s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.