Gene
About Gene
Like Ray, a formerly funky nickname name that is newly cool. Comedian Amy Schumer used it for her son.
While technically Gene is short for Eugene, it can certainly be used on its own as an honor name for grandpa Eugene or even grandma Jean.
Pronounced JEEN.
As of October 2026, Gene ranked #2238 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #61 in 1937.
Editor's take: The name Gene is a boy's name meaning "wellborn, noble".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #2,410 | 53 | 27.6 |
| 2015 | #2,092 | 67 | 35 |
| 2016 | #1,891 | 78 | 41.1 |
| 2017 | #1,751 | 88 | 47.5 |
| 2018 | #2,174 | 64 | 35.2 |
| 2019 | #1,874 | 80 | 44.6 |
| 2020 | #1,659 | 96 | 55.6 |
| 2021 | #1,892 | 81 | 46.3 |
| 2022 | #2,043 | 74 | 42.4 |
| 2023 | #2,015 | 75 | 43.8 |
| 2024 | #1,905 | 83 | 48.2 |
| 2025 | #2,238 | 63 | 36.9 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Gene.
- Milton
- Ernie
- Willis
- Bernie
- Abe
- Wally
- Stuart
- Des
- Nat
- Irwin
- Golding
- Hammett
- Leroy
- Earl
- Johanne
- Buchanan
- Freddy
- Vernon
- Wycliffe
- Rutherford
Gene on lists
Famous Genes
- Gene Kelly
American actor, singer, and dancer
- Gene Roddenberry
American TV screenwriter
- Gene Elliott Thornton
Jr. aka No Malice, American rapper
- Gene Wilder
American actor
- Gene Hackman
American actor
- Sailor Gene Gardner
son of Liv Tyler and Dave Gardner
- Gene David Fischer
(b. 2019), son of comedian Amy Schumer and chef Chris Fischer
- Gene Gallagher
Son of Liam Gallagher and Nicole Appleton
Gene in pop culture
- Gene Belcher
character in animated series "Bob's Burgers"
- Gene Vidal
character in movie "Amelia"
- Gene Friesen
character in TV series "Eastwick"
- Gene Vagina
character in "Rick and Morty"
- Eugene "Gene" Draper
third child of Don Draper on TV's "Mad Men"
- Gene
character in video game "Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops"
- Gene
main character in video game "God Hand"
- Gene Forrester
main character in "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
- Gene
character in Aphmau's YouTube series
- Gene
main character in "The Emoji Movie"
- Gene Lundy
Medford High School's resident drama teacher on the TV series "Young Sheldon"
- Gene Hunt
Character on the BBC series "Life on Mars" and "Ashes to Ashes"