Given name & surname
Gena
“of the race of women; the white wave”·“of the juniper tree”
In English use, Gena is a short form of Genevieve. One French interpretation is “of the race of women; the white wave.” Gena is a variant of Geneva. One French interpretation is “of the juniper tree.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Gena is a short form of Genevieve. One French interpretation is “of the race of women; the white wave.” Gena is a variant of Geneva. One French interpretation is “of the juniper tree.” Its derivation is not certain.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Gena is a short form of Genevieve. An origin associated with Genevieve is French. Gena is a variant of Geneva. A possible origin is French, although the derivation remains uncertain. In English use, Gena is a variant of Gina. Gina has been associated with Italian and English naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Gena is a short form of Genevieve.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gena through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,824
- 0 boys · 12,824 girls
- Most popular year
- 1968
- 502 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −65%
- Cooling
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 8 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 502 in 1968. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,754 as a first name in 2020; 175 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Gena’s family of names
In English usage, Gena is a short form of Genevieve. Gena has a related form in Gina. In English usage, Gena has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Gina.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Gena has relatives in 4 languages.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Gena
- Gena Lee NolinAmerican actress and modelborn 1971
- Gena TurgelPolish author and holocaust survivor (1923–2018)
- Gena BranscombeCanadian composer (1881–1977)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Gena, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tina
Tina is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “from the river; also shortened torm of names ending in -tina.”
>99% girls
Chalena
“resembling the beautiful and meaningful flower”
>99% girls
Mlissa
“resembling a flower”
>99% girls
Lorra
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls
Adriene
Adriene is a variant of Adria. In Greek use, Adria carries the interpretation “from the Adriatic Sea region; woman with dark features.”
>99% girls
Dianthe
“the flower of the gods”
>99% girls
Tine
“of the river” · “from the river”
>99% girls
Marne
“woman of the sea”
4% boys · 96% girls