Eugene
How to say it: yoo-JEEN · /juˈdʒin/
From Greek Eugenios meaning 'well-born, noble'; from eu (good) + genos (birth, race).
Eugene was the 859th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 249 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are down about 9% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #882 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #859 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 249 |
| Share of births | 1 in 13,314 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | −9% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #882 |
| In France, 2025 | #447 among boys’ names, 95 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long past a high in the 1920s, Eugene remains in steady use. Now far below its peak, a little more slipping is likely.
What goes with it
Round and mellow with gentle resonance, Eugene feels dignified and steady. Theodore pairs well in spirit.
Nicknames
- Gene
- Geno
- Eu
Honouring a Eugene in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Eugene is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Greek.
In France: #447 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Eugene
- Eugene O'Neill (1888–1953)American playwright
- Eugene Levy (born 1946)Canadian actor and comedian
- Eugene Merle Shoemaker (1928–1997)American geologist and astronomer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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