Find out how popular the first name Gineva has been for the last 1 years (from 1996 to 1996) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Gineva by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Gineva is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 1996, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Gineva.

The history of the first name Gineva

The name Gineva has its origins in the Romance languages, derived from the Latin name Genoveva, which itself is derived from the Celtic words "geno" meaning "race" or "kin" and "vefa" meaning "wife" or "woman." The earliest known use of the name dates back to the 5th century AD, when it was given to a Gallo-Roman Christian saint, Genevieve of Nanterre.

In the Middle Ages, Gineva was a popular name among the nobility in France and other parts of Western Europe. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Genevieve d'Aquitaine (c. 750-828 AD), a Frankish noblewoman who was the wife of Emperor Louis the Pious and the mother of Charles the Bald, King of West Francia.

The name also has ties to the city of Geneva, Switzerland. According to legend, the city was founded in the 1st century BC by a Gaulish prince named Genava, from which the name Gineva is believed to have derived. The name gained further prominence during the Protestant Reformation, when Geneva became a center of Calvinism and a hub of intellectual and religious activity.

In literature, one of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in the medieval French epic poem "La Chanson de Roland," which features a character named Geneviève. Another notable literary reference is in the play "Genoveva" by the German playwright Ludwig Tieck, which tells the story of a virtuous woman named Genoveva who endures many trials and tribulations.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Gineva or its variations. These include Geneviève Brossart de Belmont (1695-1736), a French mystic and writer; Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz (1920-2002), a French Resistance fighter during World War II; and Genevieve Nnaji (born 1979), a Nigerian actress and filmmaker.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Gineva was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gineva, please contact us.

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