Gene
Boy name · #2233 in 2025 · Uniqueness 83/100
In 2025, 63 baby boys were named Gene, placing it at #2233 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2086, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,571 boys born in 2025 was named Gene.
The 145-year story
Gene first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1937, when 3,165 boys were named Gene — good for #61 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Gene per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gene against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gene in class?
Gene scores 83 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Gene will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gene is most common
State-level data for Gene is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Gene
Statistically, parents drawn to Gene tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eugene, Duane, Bennie, Jimmie, and Lonnie.
EugeneDuaneBennieJimmieLonnieGlenJohnnieJoe
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gene | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | #2230 |
| 2024 | 83 | #1902 |
| 2023 | 76 | #1999 |
| 2022 | 74 | #2039 |
| 2021 | 81 | #1884 |
| 2020 | 96 | #1655 |
| 2019 | 80 | #1868 |
| 2018 | 64 | #2167 |
| 2017 | 88 | #1746 |
| 2016 | 79 | #1875 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2086 |
| 2014 | 53 | #2402 |
| 2013 | 67 | #2021 |
| 2012 | 71 | #1983 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2145 |
| 2010 | 65 | #2069 |
| 2009 | 81 | #1825 |
| 2008 | 79 | #1838 |
| 2007 | 85 | #1741 |
| 2006 | 95 | #1551 |
| 2005 | 93 | #1525 |
| 2004 | 109 | #1343 |
| 2003 | 106 | #1310 |
| 2002 | 99 | #1332 |
| 2001 | 129 | #1100 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gene a popular boy name?
Gene ranked #2233 among boys in 2025 with 63 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2086.
When was the name Gene most popular?
Gene peaked in 1937, when 3,165 American boys received the name (ranked #61 that year). Since 1937 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gene?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,571 newborn American boys was named Gene. It scores 83/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.