How to say it
GEN · e · sis
ˈdʒɛn.ə.sɪs
Feminine
Genesis
Origin, beginning
What it means
Greek for 'origin' or 'birth,' from a root meaning 'to be born.' The first book of the Hebrew Bible, and a name parents started using in earnest in the 2000s.
Genesis is the Greek word for 'origin' or 'beginning' (from a root meaning 'to be born' or 'to come into being'). It's the Greek title of the first book of the Hebrew Bible, which the Greek Septuagint named for its opening word; the Hebrew title is Bereshit. As a given name it's a 21st-century US phenomenon, climbing into the top 100 in 2008 and staying there. It reads predominantly feminine in US records but appears for both. Particularly common in Latino families. Rarely shortens.
How to spell Genesis
The standard spelling is Genesis. Common variants include Génesis, but Genesis is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #55 in 2013, currently #66 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
The band Genesis (Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins) is the longest-running cultural anchor; for younger parents the biblical reference is the dominant one.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Book of Genesis First book of the Hebrew Bible, Adam and Eve through Joseph in Egypt
- Genesis (band) British rock band founded 1967, Peter Gabriel and later Phil Collins as frontmen
Spelling variants
- Génesis
Names with the same feeling
See Genesis from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Genesis mean?
- Greek for 'origin' or 'birth,' from a root meaning 'to be born.' The first book of the Hebrew Bible, and a name parents started using in earnest in the 2000s.
- What does Genesis mean in Greek?
- In Greek, Genesis means "Origin, beginning." Genesis is the Greek word for 'origin' or 'beginning' (from a root meaning 'to be born' or 'to come into being'). It's the Greek title of the first book of the Hebrew Bible, which the Greek Septuagint named for its opening word; the Hebrew title is Bereshit. As a given name it's a 21st-century US phenomenon, climbing into the top 100 in 2008 and staying there. It reads predominantly feminine in US records but appears for both. Particularly common in Latino families. Rarely shortens.
- How do you pronounce Genesis?
- Genesis is pronounced ˈdʒɛn.ə.sɪs. Say it as GEN-e-sis, with the stress on the "gen" syllable.
- How do you spell Genesis?
- The standard spelling is Genesis. Common spelling variants include Génesis.
- Is Genesis a boy or girl name?
- Genesis is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Genesis?
- Genesis ranked #66 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.