Geneva is a unique and elegant female name of Swiss origin. It means "land by the lake" in Italian, referring to Lake Geneva, which lies between Switzerland and France. The name has been used historically as both a given name and a surname.
The city of Geneva, Switzerland is named after the river that flows through it, which was called "Genava" by the Romans. The river's name may have originated from the Celtic word "genuo," meaning "bend" or "knee," possibly referring to a bend in the river's course.
While not particularly popular today, Geneva has been used as a given name throughout history. It gained some popularity during the Victorian era in England and was also used by American author Louisa May Alcott for one of her characters in Little Women.
Overall, Geneva is an uncommon yet beautiful name with a rich historical background and a unique connection to a famous city and lake.
The given statistics show a significant increase in the number of births named Geneva from 1880 to its peak in 1920, with a total of 88,499 births over the period up until 2023. However, there was a steady decline from the late 1950s onwards, reaching a low point of just 131 births in 2021. Despite this decrease, the name Geneva has still been chosen for at least one child every year since records began in 1880.