Holding steady.
Popularity of Genever since 1900
Babies named Genever per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1924, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Genever's real moment was 1900.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 10 |
| 1910s | 86 |
| 1920s | 110 |
| 1930s | 29 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Genever is a rare botanical name derived from the juniper plant, sharing roots with the gin-flavored spirit jenever. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1900, its peak year, when it was given to just a few babies; since then it has remained stable but extremely uncommon, with no single year recording more than five uses. The one-in-N metric cannot be calculated given its low occurrence. Unlike modern revival names like Juniper, Genever has not seen a resurgence and is absent from top state lists. It belongs to the tradition of plant-inspired names such as Clover and Hazel, carrying a literary, old-fashioned charm that appeals to parents seeking a distinctive yet meaningful choice.
Genever is an English name derived from the Dutch word 'jenever' meaning 'juniper', which is also the source of the spirit gin. The name is a variant of Juniper and has been used occasionally in English-speaking countries since the 19th century. It saw a minor uptick in usage in the early 1900s but remains rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Gen, Jenny
Variants: Juniper
Sibling names for Genever
Names that share Genever's style, for a brother or sister.
