Geneen is of American origin, derived from the Irish surname Ó Géineáin. It means "descendant of Gníoman," a personal name possibly meaning "little wave" or "small." The name Geneen was popularized by American actress Geneen Roth, known for her work in television and films during the mid-20th century. It gained further recognition when it was used as a character name in the soap opera "General Hospital" in the 1980s. Despite its roots in Ireland, Geneen is predominantly associated with American culture today.
The name Geneen experienced notable fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a significant spike occurring between 1966 and 1970. During this period, the number of births peaked at 15 in 1966 and remained consistently high throughout the next few years. However, after 1973, the popularity of the name began to decline, with fewer than 10 births per year occurring from 1974 onwards. Despite this decrease in popularity, Geneen has still been given to a total of 227 newborns over the period from 1952 to 1990.