Geneva

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Geneva

Gender: Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
The name Geneva has two likely origins:
1. It is a form of the name Genevieve. Genevieve comes from a Celtic name, Genovefa. meaning “White Wave.” Similarly, the Italian form of Genevieve is Ginevra.
-or-
2. It comes from the Swiss city, Geneva. The name of the city is probably based on the European “gen” meaning “birth” and may have referred to Lake Geneva.

History:
Although both names, Geneva and Genevieve, increased in frequency in the late 19th century, Geneva rose more quickly after the 1860s and the first Geneva Convention of 1864 (which defined “humane treatment” for civilians, prisoners, and the wounded soldiers).

It is probably not a coincidence that and Jenny and Eva were two common names of the late 19th century. Also, around the turn of the century Florence (which happens to also be the name of an Italian city) was highly popular.

Please see Genevieve for additional information.

Pronunciation: jen-eev-ah.

Diminutives:
English: Gen, Gena, Genna, Genni, Gennie, Genny, Geva, Neva.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Gene(va) Grace Stratton Porter (1863-1924)
American author.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.059 % named Geneva

Popularity of Geneva:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1875: 362nd most popular.
1880: 295th most popular.
1881: 273rd most popular.
1882: 250th most popular.
1883: 262nd most popular.
1884: 239th most popular.
1885: 280th most popular.
1886: 245th most popular.
1887: 211th most popular.
1888: 221st most popular.
1889: 213th most popular.
1890: 240th most popular.
1891: 247th most popular.
1892: 226th most popular.
1893: 206th most popular.
1894: 195th most popular.
1895: 202nd most popular.
1896: 197th most popular.
1897: 204th most popular.
1898: 196th most popular.
1899: 189th most popular.
1900: 172nd most popular.
1901: 179th most popular.
1902: 162nd most popular.
1903: 160th most popular.
1904: 145th most popular.
1905: 149th most popular.
1906: 151st most popular.
1907: 141st most popular.
1908: 136th most popular.
1909: 131st most popular.
1910: 117th most popular.
1911: 124th most popular.
1912: 116th most popular.
1913: 120th most popular.
1914: 118th most popular.
1915: 110th most popular.
1916: 112th most popular.
1917: 113th most popular.
1918: 112th most popular.
1919: 107th most popular.
1920: 106th most popular.- Peak!
1921: 113th most popular.
1922: 110th most popular.
1923: 111th most popular.
1924: 110th most popular.
1925: 109th most popular.
1926: 117th most popular.
1927: 119th most popular.
1928: 124th most popular.
1929: 130th most popular.
1930: 133rd most popular.
1931: 136th most popular.
1932: 137th most popular.
1933: 141st most popular.
1934: 139th most popular.
1935: 156th most popular.
1936: 153rd most popular.
1937: 158th most popular.
1938: 171st most popular.
1939: 172nd most popular.
1940: 178th most popular.
1941: 181st most popular.
1942: 198th most popular.
1943: 209th most popular.
1944: 217th most popular.
1945: 211th most popular.
1946: 233rd most popular.
1947: 246th most popular.
1948: 270th most popular.
1949: 275th most popular.
1950: 285th most popular.
1951: 290th most popular.
1952: 305th most popular.
1953: 300th most popular.
1954: 333rd most popular.
1955: 372nd most popular.
1956: 379th most popular.
1957: 383rd most popular.
1958: 419th most popular.
1959: 451st most popular.
1960: 472nd most popular.
1961: 471st most popular.
1962: 500th most popular.
1963: 527th most popular.
1964: 502nd most popular.
1965: 550th most popular.
1966: 560th most popular.
1967: 549th most popular.
1968: 591st most popular.
1969: 616th most popular.
1970: 588th most popular.
1971: 660th most popular.
1972: 620th most popular.
1973: 572nd most popular.
1974: 689th most popular.
1975: 624th most popular.
1976: 626th most popular.
1977: 652nd most popular.
1978: 652nd most popular.
1979: 721st most popular.
1980: 676th most popular.
1981: 675th most popular.
1982: 707th most popular.
1983: 664th most popular.
1984: 747th most popular.
1985: 734th most popular.
1986: 805th most popular.
1987: 891st most popular.
1988: 786th most popular.
1989: 834th most popular.
1990: 879th most popular.
1991: 968th most popular.
1992: 981st most popular.
1993: 969th most popular.
1994: 989th most popular.
1995-2004: N/A

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999

The Academy of St. Gabriel (www.s-gabriel.org) - For information on medieval names.

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)