Gennaro Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: jeh-NAH-roh /dʒeˈnɑːroʊ/
Origin: Italian
Meaning: January; God is gracious
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Gennaro has its roots in the Latin name 'Ianuarius', which is derived from 'Janus', the Roman god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, and endings. The name evolved through various forms, including 'Gennarius' in Latin, before being adopted into Italian as 'Gennaro'.
The transition into English occurred primarily through the influence of Italian culture and language, particularly during the Renaissance when classical names were revived and integrated into various European languages. Historically, Gennaro is associated with Saint Januarius (San Gennaro in Italian), who was a bishop of Benevento in the 3rd century.
His martyrdom is commemorated on September 19, and he is particularly venerated in Naples, where a famous miracle involving the liquefaction of his blood is celebrated annually. This event has been a significant aspect of Neapolitan culture and religious life since at least the 14th century, contributing to the name's prominence in the region.
The name Gennaro carries cultural resonance, particularly in Southern Italy, where it is often associated with themes of protection and divine favor, reflecting the attributes of Saint Januarius. The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as 'Genny', which are used affectionately in familial and social contexts.
The enduring legacy of Gennaro is evident in its continued usage in Italian communities worldwide, where it symbolizes a connection to heritage and tradition.
Famous people named Gennaro
In this section, you will find notable people named Gennaro. 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 Gennaro who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Gennaro 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.
Gennaro Gattuso is a former footballer and manager best known for his time at AC Milan, winning the UEFA Champions League and Serie A.
Gennaro Contaldo is a chef and television personality best known for his work on BBC's Two Greedy Italians and his Italian cookbooks.
Fictional characters named Gennaro
The following list of fictional characters named Gennaro is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Gennaro is a fictional character from the film Jurassic Park. He is the park's chief engineer who plays a crucial role in the story's unfolding events during the dinosaur escape.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Gennaro, 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 Gennaro. 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 Gennaro was first seen in the United States in 1904.
Gennaro has ranked as high as #856 nationally, which occurred in 1926, and has been most popular in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
In the past 5 years the name Gennaro has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Gennaro 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 Gennaro was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Gennaro (2023)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| NY | 7 |
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 Gennaro.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 |
| 2023 | 24 |
| 2022 | 39 |
| 2021 | 24 |
| 2020 | 19 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2016 | 23 |
| 2015 | 16 |
| 2014 | 13 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2007 | 20 |
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2004 | 17 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2001 | 21 |
| 2000 | 13 |
| 1999 | 14 |
| 1998 | 25 |
| 1997 | 17 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 1995 | 23 |
| 1994 | 12 |
| 1993 | 17 |
| 1992 | 17 |
| 1991 | 18 |
| 1990 | 28 |
| 1989 | 20 |
| 1988 | 19 |
| 1987 | 12 |
| 1986 | 12 |
| 1985 | 19 |
| 1984 | 14 |
| 1983 | 23 |
| 1982 | 16 |
| 1981 | 23 |
| 1980 | 17 |
| 1979 | 17 |
| 1978 | 16 |
| 1977 | 23 |
| 1976 | 25 |
| 1975 | 20 |
| 1974 | 23 |
| 1973 | 23 |
| 1972 | 24 |
| 1971 | 23 |
| 1970 | 23 |
| 1969 | 24 |
| 1968 | 30 |
| 1967 | 22 |
| 1966 | 22 |
| 1965 | 16 |
| 1964 | 24 |
| 1963 | 20 |
| 1962 | 21 |
| 1961 | 23 |
| 1960 | 23 |
| 1959 | 12 |
| 1958 | 23 |
| 1957 | 19 |
| 1956 | 11 |
| 1955 | 18 |
| 1954 | 17 |
| 1953 | 22 |
| 1952 | 27 |
| 1951 | 16 |
| 1950 | 18 |
| 1949 | 20 |
| 1948 | 17 |
| 1947 | 16 |
| 1946 | 25 |
| 1945 | 21 |
| 1944 | 18 |
| 1943 | 21 |
| 1942 | 28 |
| 1941 | 25 |
| 1940 | 24 |
| 1939 | 21 |
| 1938 | 21 |
| 1937 | 18 |
| 1936 | 16 |
| 1935 | 29 |
| 1934 | 23 |
| 1933 | 24 |
| 1932 | 22 |
| 1931 | 29 |
| 1930 | 35 |
| 1929 | 34 |
| 1928 | 27 |
| 1927 | 37 |
| 1926 | 42 |
| 1925 | 21 |
| 1924 | 32 |
| 1923 | 35 |
| 1922 | 37 |
| 1921 | 37 |
| 1920 | 37 |
| 1919 | 27 |
| 1918 | 31 |
| 1917 | 40 |
| 1916 | 24 |
| 1915 | 27 |
| 1914 | 30 |
| 1913 | 30 |
| 1912 | 20 |
| 1911 | 12 |
| 1910 | 9 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1904 | 7 |