Genette
A feminine French diminutive form of the name Geneviève, meaning "tribe woman."
Name Census estimates that about 353 living Americans carry the first name Genette. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Genette today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Genette births was 1956 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Genette. 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
353
~ 1 in 970,975 Americans
Peak year
1956
18 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
2013 SSA rank
#17,464
Tracked since 1911
Popularity
Genette: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Genette from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 117 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Genette 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 Genette during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Genettes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Genette
The name Genette has its origins in the French language. It is a feminine form of the masculine name Genet, which is derived from the Old French word "genestrole," meaning a small broom or bush. This name likely originated as a nickname or surname for someone who lived near or worked with brooms or bushes.
In the Middle Ages, Genet was a relatively common surname in France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. The earliest recorded use of the feminine form Genette dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various records and documents from northern France.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Genette was Genette de Brie, a French noblewoman who lived in the late 13th century. She was the daughter of Hugues de Brie, a prominent lord in the region of Brie, near Paris.
In the 15th century, Genette de Valois was a member of the French royal family. She was the daughter of Charles de Valois, Count of Auvergne, and was born in 1432. Genette de Valois married Louis de Bourbon, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon, and their descendants went on to become influential figures in French history.
During the Renaissance period, Genette Bessarion was a Greek scholar and philosopher who lived in Italy in the 15th century. She was renowned for her knowledge of ancient Greek literature and her contributions to the revival of classical learning in Europe.
In the 17th century, Genette du Plessis was a French writer and salonnière (a woman who hosted a literary salon). She was known for her wit and intellect, and her salon in Paris was a gathering place for many of the leading thinkers and writers of the time.
Another notable figure with the name Genette was Genette Vertault, a French artist and engraver who lived in the 18th century. She was known for her intricate etchings and engravings, which often depicted scenes from classical mythology and literature.
While the name Genette is not as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in France and other parts of Europe. Its origins as a nickname or surname related to brooms and bushes reflect the everyday lives and occupations of people in medieval times.
People
Genette + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Genette 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
Genette: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Genette?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 353 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Genette 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 970,975 US residents.
Is Genette a common name?
We classify Genette as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 606 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Genette most popular?
The single biggest year for Genette was 1956, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Genette is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Genette a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Genette 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.