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General

♂ Boy

Pronounced JEN-ur-ul /ˈdʒɛn.ɚ.əl/High

Meaning: From the English word general — 'a high-ranking military commander; universal/of the whole' (from the Latin generalis); a title/word-name; we note the wordLow

In 30 seconds: A high-ranking military leader; universal: General is a title-name. Bold, modern, and warm (said 'JEN-ur-ul'). We note the word.
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Origin LowLatin, English
MeaningFrom the English word general — 'a high-ranking military commander; universal/of the whole' (from the Latin generalis); a title/word-name; we note the word
U.S. rank (2024)#10195 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1918
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,025

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191818802024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

General comes from the English word general — 'a high-ranking military commander; universal/of the whole' (from the Latin generalis); a title/word-name (we note the word). A bold, modern name (said 'JEN-ur-ul').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely as a title/word-name. Rare, a-military-leader at the root, and bold.

Did you know? General is a title/word-name — 'a high-ranking military commander' (from the Latin generalis, 'of the whole') — a bold, distinctive name (we note the word; said 'JEN-ur-ul').
Overall data confidence 22%
References — General — English word/title-name

Variations

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Gen

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If you like General…

Major— a fellow military-rank word-name boys' name
King— a kin title word-name boys' name
Chief— a sound-adjacent title word-name
Percival— lands in the same popularity range
Marcial— echoes that soft -al sound

Explore names like General

By themeuncertainenglishlatinword-name
By meaningLeader

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Frequently Asked

What does the name General mean?

General is a title/word-name — 'a high-ranking military commander; universal' (from the Latin generalis). We note the word.

How do you pronounce General?

It's said JEN-ur-ul /ˈdʒɛn.ɚ.əl/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is General a boy or girl name?

General is a boy's name.

How popular is General?

General is a very rare name in the U.S.

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