Gena Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JEE-nah /ˈdʒiː.nə/
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: English: Woman of the people; Hebrew: God is gracious
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Gena is derived from the name Genevieve, which has its roots in the Old French form "Geneviève." This name itself is believed to originate from the Proto-Germanic elements "kena," meaning "kin" or "family," and "wefa," which translates to "woman" or "wife." The transition into English occurred through the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, where many Old French names were adopted into the English lexicon, leading to the eventual anglicization of Genevieve into forms like Gena. Historically, Genevieve is associated with Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, who lived during the 5th century.
She is credited with saving the city from invasion and is celebrated for her piety and leadership during times of crisis. Her feast day is observed on January 3rd, and her legacy contributed to the name's enduring presence in various cultures.
The name was further popularized in literature and art, particularly during the Middle Ages, as stories of saints and their virtues were widely disseminated. Culturally, Gena and its variants have been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing strength and resilience.
The name has been used in various forms across different languages, including the Italian "Genoveffa" and the Spanish "Genoveva." These variations reflect the name's adaptability and the cultural significance attributed to it. The diminutive form "Gen" is also noted in some cultures, providing a more casual or affectionate alternative.
Overall, Gena carries a rich historical and cultural resonance, rooted in its etymological origins and the legacy of its notable figures.
Famous people named Gena
In this section, you will find notable people named Gena. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Gena who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Gena who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Gena Rowlands is an actress best known for A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria, and The Notebook.
Gena Lee Nolin is an actress and model best known for Baywatch, Sheena, and The Last Resort.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Gena, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Gena. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Gena was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Gena has ranked as high as #667 nationally, which occurred in 1968, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Gena has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Gena is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Gena was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Gena (2008)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Gena.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2009 | 21 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2007 | 30 |
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2005 | 30 |
| 2004 | 36 |
| 2003 | 43 |
| 2002 | 39 |
| 2001 | 51 |
| 2000 | 68 |
| 1999 | 47 |
| 1998 | 51 |
| 1997 | 68 |
| 1996 | 63 |
| 1995 | 60 |
| 1994 | 71 |
| 1993 | 98 |
| 1992 | 104 |
| 1991 | 96 |
| 1990 | 107 |
| 1989 | 126 |
| 1988 | 128 |
| 1987 | 152 |
| 1986 | 149 |
| 1985 | 173 |
| 1984 | 202 |
| 1983 | 171 |
| 1982 | 189 |
| 1981 | 212 |
| 1980 | 209 |
| 1979 | 267 |
| 1978 | 264 |
| 1977 | 297 |
| 1976 | 268 |
| 1975 | 361 |
| 1974 | 284 |
| 1973 | 313 |
| 1972 | 363 |
| 1971 | 397 |
| 1970 | 401 |
| 1969 | 389 |
| 1968 | 502 |
| 1967 | 486 |
| 1966 | 411 |
| 1965 | 325 |
| 1964 | 459 |
| 1963 | 458 |
| 1962 | 397 |
| 1961 | 273 |
| 1960 | 267 |
| 1959 | 197 |
| 1958 | 197 |
| 1957 | 166 |
| 1956 | 167 |
| 1955 | 158 |
| 1954 | 83 |
| 1953 | 73 |
| 1952 | 70 |
| 1951 | 60 |
| 1950 | 62 |
| 1949 | 53 |
| 1948 | 61 |
| 1947 | 53 |
| 1946 | 34 |
| 1945 | 30 |
| 1944 | 23 |
| 1943 | 36 |
| 1942 | 25 |
| 1941 | 19 |
| 1940 | 15 |
| 1939 | 18 |
| 1938 | 15 |
| 1937 | 9 |
| 1936 | 21 |
| 1935 | 16 |
| 1934 | 22 |
| 1933 | 28 |
| 1932 | 29 |
| 1931 | 19 |
| 1930 | 33 |
| 1929 | 26 |
| 1928 | 24 |
| 1927 | 32 |
| 1926 | 23 |
| 1925 | 30 |
| 1924 | 29 |
| 1923 | 36 |
| 1922 | 30 |
| 1921 | 33 |
| 1920 | 26 |
| 1919 | 32 |
| 1918 | 22 |
| 1917 | 25 |
| 1916 | 36 |
| 1915 | 32 |
| 1914 | 15 |
| 1913 | 19 |
| 1912 | 13 |
| 1911 | 17 |
| 1910 | 8 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1908 | 11 |
| 1907 | 11 |
| 1906 | 7 |
| 1905 | 15 |
| 1904 | 8 |
| 1903 | 14 |
| 1902 | 11 |
| 1901 | 13 |
| 1900 | 21 |
| 1899 | 11 |
| 1898 | 9 |
| 1897 | 9 |
| 1896 | 15 |
| 1895 | 16 |
| 1894 | 12 |
| 1893 | 14 |
| 1892 | 21 |
| 1891 | 21 |
| 1890 | 15 |
| 1889 | 12 |
| 1888 | 14 |
| 1887 | 14 |
| 1886 | 13 |
| 1885 | 11 |
| 1884 | 10 |
| 1883 | 5 |
| 1882 | 12 |
| 1880 | 11 |