Gennaro Boy

Popularity: #918 · Trend: ↗ Rising

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.

GiovanniAntonioMarcoSalvatoreFrancesco

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.

GiorgioGiuseppeGiovanniGinoRenatoLeonardoAlessandro

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Gennaro was first seen in the United States in 1904.

Gennaro has ranked as high as #2171 nationally, which occurred in 1926, and has been most popular in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

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.

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 Total Births Boy
2025 20 20
2024 22 22
2023 24 24
2022 39 39
2021 24 24
2020 19 19
2019 19 19
2018 16 16
2017 17 17
2016 23 23
2015 16 16
2014 13 13
2013 16 16
2012 20 20
2011 10 10
2010 15 15
2009 19 19
2008 21 21
2007 20 20
2006 22 22
2005 18 18
2004 17 17
2003 14 14
2002 20 20
2001 21 21
2000 13 13
1999 14 14
1998 25 25
1997 17 17
1996 18 18
1995 23 23
1994 12 12
1993 17 17
1992 17 17
1991 18 18
1990 28 28
1989 20 20
1988 19 19
1987 12 12
1986 12 12
1985 19 19
1984 14 14
1983 23 23
1982 16 16
1981 23 23
1980 17 17
1979 17 17
1978 16 16
1977 23 23
1976 25 25
1975 20 20
1974 23 23
1973 23 23
1972 24 24
1971 23 23
1970 23 23
1969 24 24
1968 30 30
1967 22 22
1966 22 22
1965 16 16
1964 24 24
1963 21 21
1962 21 21
1961 23 23
1960 23 23
1959 12 12
1958 23 23
1957 19 19
1956 11 11
1955 18 18
1954 17 17
1953 22 22
1952 27 27
1951 16 16
1950 18 18
1949 20 20
1948 17 17
1947 16 16
1946 25 25
1945 21 21
1944 18 18
1943 21 21
1942 28 28
1941 25 25
1940 24 24
1939 21 21
1938 21 21
1937 18 18
1936 16 16
1935 29 29
1934 23 23
1933 24 24
1932 22 22
1931 29 29
1930 35 35
1929 34 34
1928 27 27
1927 37 37
1926 42 42
1925 21 21
1924 32 32
1923 35 35
1922 37 37
1921 37 37
1920 37 37
1919 27 27
1918 31 31
1917 40 40
1916 24 24
1915 27 27
1914 30 30
1913 30 30
1912 20 20
1911 12 12
1910 9 9
1905 5 5
1904 7 7

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
NY 7
100%