Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Genever

Genever

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Genever

Pronounced JEN-uh-ver /ˈdʒɛn.ə.vər/Medium

Meaning: Genever is a variant of Geneva or of Genevieve and Guinevere; Geneva takes its name from the Swiss city, while Guinevere is a Welsh-rooted name for the fair queen of Arthurian legend. Genever also happens to be the Dutch word behind gin, though the name draws on the Geneva family. The route is uncertain, which we note.Low

In 30 seconds: Genever is a variant of Geneva or Guinevere, tied to the Swiss city and the Arthurian queen. It was used for a small number of United States girls in the early twentieth century (said JEN-uh-ver).
💕 Browse more names
Origin LowEnglish, French
MeaningGenever is a variant of Geneva or of Genevieve and Guinevere; Geneva takes its name from the Swiss city, while Guinevere is a Welsh-rooted name for the fair queen of Arthurian legend. Genever also happens to be the Dutch word behind gin, though the name draws on the Geneva family. The route is uncertain, which we note.
U.S. rank (1944)#4809 ↘ Falling
1944 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1924
Total births (all-time)≈ 240

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192419001944

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

Genever shadowed Geneva and Genevieve, touching a modest high around 1924. It stayed a rare, old-world-sounding choice rather than a common name.

It was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year even at its peak, and it faded within a generation. With its exact route uncertain, which we note, the name reads as an elegant vintage rarity in the Geneva family.

Did you know? Genever sits near Geneva, the lakeside Swiss city, and the Arthurian Guinevere, the fair queen; it also matches the old Dutch word for gin, though as a girls' name it belongs to the Geneva and Genevieve family.
Overall data confidence 30%
References - Genever — Variant of Geneva/Guinevere/Genevieve; route uncertain

Variations

GenevaGenevieveGuinevere

Nicknames

GennyNeva

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Genever…

Geneva— the place name Genever varies
Genevieve— a fuller name in the same family
Guinevere— the Arthurian queen Genever echoes
Genevra— a like variant in the Geneva group

Explore names like Genever

By themeuncertainenglishvintageplace-name

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Genever mean?

It is a variant of Geneva, the Swiss city, or of Guinevere and Genevieve; the exact route is uncertain.

How do you pronounce Genever?

It is said JEN-uh-ver /ˈdʒɛn.ə.vər/, three syllables stressed on the first.

Is Genever a boy or girl name?

Genever is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Genever?

It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak in the early twentieth century.

💬 Ask Nia