Genevia
A feminine name from Latin origins meaning "woman of Geneva".
Name Census estimates that about 431 living Americans carry the first name Genevia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Genevia today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Genevia births was 1924 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Genevia. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Genevia is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Genevias were born before 1968.
People living today
431
~ 1 in 795,254 Americans
Peak year
1924
38 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
2004 SSA rank
#14,769
Tracked since 1895
Popularity
Genevia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Genevia from the 1890s through to the 2000s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 321 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Genevia 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 Genevia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Genevias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi recorded the most babies named Genevia, while South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Genevia
The name Genevia is believed to have originated from the Latin name "Genovefa" or "Genoveva," which means "white wave" or "white path." The name has its roots in the ancient Germanic tribes that inhabited parts of Europe during the Roman Empire.
Genovefa was the name of a 5th-century Parisian saint who is venerated as the patron saint of Paris. According to legend, she played a crucial role in encouraging the people of Paris to resist the invading Huns led by Attila. Her name gained popularity and was widely used throughout medieval Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Genevia can be found in the writings of the 6th-century bishop and historian, Gregory of Tours. He documented the life and miracles of Saint Genovefa, contributing to the spread of her cult and the popularity of her name.
In the Middle Ages, the name Genevia was widely used across Europe, particularly in France, Germany, and Italy. Several notable historical figures bore this name, including Genevia of Brabant (1130-1182), a Flemish noblewoman and saint, and Genevia di Brusselle (1284-1350), an Italian religious leader and mystic.
During the Renaissance period, the name Genevia was favored among the aristocracy and upper classes. One prominent figure was Geneviève d'Urfé (1555-1635), a French noblewoman and author who wrote several influential works on religion and spirituality.
In the 18th century, Geneviève de Brabant (1738-1816), a Belgian Catholic mystic and stigmatic, gained fame for her alleged miraculous experiences and visions. Her life and reputation further popularized the name Genevia in Belgium and surrounding regions.
Throughout history, the name Genevia has been used by various individuals across different cultures and regions. However, it has retained its strong association with the venerated Saint Genovefa of Paris, who has remained an enduring figure in the Christian tradition.
People
Genevia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Genevia 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
Genevia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Genevia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 431 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Genevia 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 795,254 US residents.
Is Genevia a common name?
We classify Genevia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,383 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Genevia most popular?
The single biggest year for Genevia was 1924, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Genevia is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Genevia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Genevia 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.