Genelle
Feminine name possibly derived from French and meaning "gently born".
Name Census estimates that about 1,136 living Americans carry the first name Genelle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Genelle today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Genelle births was 1981 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Genelle. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 301,720 Americans
Peak year
1981
36 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,590
Tracked since 1904
Popularity
Genelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Genelle from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 220 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Genelle by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Genelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Genelles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Genelle, while Georgia, New York, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 29 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Genelle
The name Genelle is believed to have originated from the French language. It is a feminine form of the name Geneviève, which has its roots in the Breton language spoken in the region of Brittany, France. The name Geneviève is derived from the Celtic words "gen" meaning "race" or "offspring" and "budic" meaning "blessed" or "fortunate."
The name Genelle gained popularity in France during the Middle Ages, particularly after the 5th century when the story of Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, became widely known. According to legend, Saint Genevieve's prayers and guidance helped save the city of Paris from the Huns led by Attila in the year 451.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Genelle can be found in the 12th-century romance "Roman de la Rose" by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. In this literary work, a character named Genelle is mentioned as a personification of courtesy and refinement.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Genelle. One of the earliest was Genelle de Chambly, a 13th-century French noblewoman who served as the Lady of Chambly and played a significant role in the governance of the region during her time.
Another notable figure was Genelle de Champeaux, a 14th-century French scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Paris and made influential contributions to the field of scholastic philosophy.
In the 16th century, Genelle de Parthenay was a French noblewoman and author who wrote several works on religious themes and was known for her piety and charitable efforts.
Moving to the 18th century, Genelle Chaumette was a French artist and engraver who specialized in portraiture and contributed to the Rococo style of art during her lifetime (1690-1768).
More recently, Genelle Guzman-McMillan was a 20th-century American activist and advocate for women's rights and social justice. Born in 1914, she played a vital role in the civil rights movement and worked tirelessly to promote equality and empowerment for women and marginalized communities.
People
Genelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Genelle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Genelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Genelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,136 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Genelle going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 301,720 US residents.
Is Genelle a common name?
We classify Genelle as "Rare". It ranks above 90.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,756 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Genelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Genelle was 1981, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Genelle is about 46 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Genelle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Genelle in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.