Geneva is a feminine given name of English origin. It is derived from the Latin word "genu," which means knee. The name was popularized by John Calvin, a French theologian who founded the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, Switzerland. He named his daughter Geneva in honor of the city where he lived and worked. Over time, the name gained popularity as more people adopted it as a tribute to the historic city or simply because they liked its sound. Today, Geneva is still used as a given name for girls, but it is not as common as some other names with similar meanings, such as Jane or Gennifer.
The name Geneva has been given to a total of 309 babies born in the United States between 1912 and 1968. The popularity of this name varied over time, with peaks occurring in certain years.
In the early 1910s, the name Geneva was quite popular, with more than five births recorded each year from 1912 to 1917. During this period, the highest number of babies named Geneva was born in 1917, with a total of 15 births.
However, the popularity of the name declined in the late 1910s and early 1920s, with fewer than ten births recorded each year between 1918 and 1924. The lowest point was reached in 1927, with only six babies named Geneva born that year.
The popularity of the name Geneva fluctuated throughout the 1930s and 1940s, with no clear trend. Some years saw a modest increase in births, such as in 1934 when twelve babies were named Geneva, while other years saw a decrease, like in 1945 when only five babies were named Geneva.
The name Geneva was given to six babies born in the United States in 1965 and another five in 1968, indicating that it maintained some level of popularity throughout the twentieth century. Overall, while the popularity of the name Geneva varied over time, it remained a distinctive and recognizable name for infants born in the United States during this period.