Germaine is of Germanic origin, derived from the elements 'germi' meaning spear and 'man' meaning man. It was brought to France by Frankish invaders during the Middle Ages and has since become a popular name in French-speaking regions. Germaine is typically given to girls, although it can also be used as a boy's name in some cases. In English, it may be spelled Germaine or Germain(e), with the latter being more common for males. Some notable individuals bearing this name include French poet and feminist Simone de Beauvoir (pen name of Simone Lucienne Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir) and American singer-songwriter Germaine "Little Miss Cornshucks" Hinton.
"The name Germane saw an increase from 5 to 7 annual births between 1972 and 1973, resulting in a total of 12 babies born with this name during these two years."