Find out how popular the first name Jenya has been for the last 44 years (from 1977 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Jenya by gender

Based on the last 44 years of data, Jenya is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 6 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Jenya.

The history of the first name Jenya

The name Jenya is a Russian diminutive form of the name Yevgeny, which itself is derived from the Greek name Eugenios. The meaning of Eugenios in Greek is "well-born" or "noble." The name Yevgeny has been in use in Russia since the late 10th century, when it was adopted along with Christianity from the Byzantine Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jenya can be found in the Russian literary work "The Tale of Igor's Campaign," written in the late 12th century. The name is mentioned in the form "Jenislavich," referring to a character in the epic.

In the 16th century, a prominent Russian military leader named Yenya Chuvatov played a significant role in the conquest of the Kazan Khanate by Ivan the Terrible. Chuvatov's use of the diminutive form Jenya likely contributed to its increasing popularity in Russia.

Throughout Russian history, several notable figures have borne the name Jenya. One of the most famous was Jenya Mukhina (1889-1953), a renowned Soviet sculptor best known for her monumental sculpture "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman" created for the 1937 World's Fair in Paris.

Another prominent Jenya was Jenya Vertinsky (1916-1977), a Russian-born French singer and actor who achieved great popularity in France during the mid-20th century. His performances helped popularize Russian émigré culture in France.

In the realm of literature, Jenya Shvarts (1896-1958) was a celebrated Russian-Soviet writer and playwright known for his fairy tales and children's stories, including the popular play "The Naked King."

More recently, Jenya Afineevsky (born 1972) is a Ukrainian-born American filmmaker and director, best known for his documentary "Cries from Syria," which received an Oscar nomination in 2018.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Jenya, a diminutive form with roots in the Greek language that has been a part of Russian culture for centuries.

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 Jenya was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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