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At a Glance: Name: Geneva – Origin: Place name (Geneva, Switzerland) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: jeh-NEE-vah
Geneva is a girl's name drawn straight from the Swiss city of the same name, filed under the bohemian-free-spirit and nature-wanderer style tags. You may have heard it's tied to the word 'juniper' — that's a popular but unsupported claim; the more specific etymology traces it to the city of Geneva itself, whose own origin is uncertain and likely river-related, not a plant. It's pronounced jeh-NEE-vah (IPA /dʒəˈniːvə).
Meaning & Origin of Geneva
Origin: Place name (Geneva, Switzerland).
A common claim: Commonly said to mean 'juniper tree' Actually: This appears to be an unsupported/folk claim — the more specific etymology derives the name from the Swiss city of Geneva (of uncertain, likely river-related origin), not a word for juniper.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Geneva
Phonetic: jeh-NEE-vah IPA: /dʒəˈniːvə/
Popularity of Geneva
Geneva peaked at #106 back in 1920, when 2,467 babies were given the name, but by 2024 it had slipped to #1603, with just 130 babies sharing it.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data via names_full.json, 1880–2024.
Make Geneva Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Geneva, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names without a catalog record, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Geneva mean?
Commonly said to mean ‘juniper tree’ This appears to be an unsupported/folk claim — the more specific etymology derives the name from the Swiss city of Geneva (of uncertain, likely river-related origin), not a word for juniper.
How do you pronounce Geneva?
Geneva is pronounced jeh-NEE-vah (IPA: /dʒəˈniːvə/).
Is Geneva a popular name right now?
Geneva peaked at #106 in 1920 and is ranked #1603 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
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