Fun Facts About the Name Genova
- 251 babies named Genova: U.S. records list 251 babies given the name Genova from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Genova Mean?
Genova is the Italian name of the city of Genoa. As a given name it is a place name, so its basic sense is "from Genoa" or "of Genoa." The city appears in Latin as Genua, and Italian Genova developed from that form. The ultimate origin of Genua is uncertain. A traditional explanation connects it with Latin genu "knee" (plural genua), perhaps describing the shape of the coastal site, but this is an interpretation rather than a settled etymology. Other suggestions treat the name as pre-Latin or Ligurian, but no proposed sense is firmly established.
For Genova, the geographic sense is literal; symbolic readings such as travel or Italian heritage are later associations, not part of the name's etymology. Genova is distinct from Geneva, the Swiss city name, and from Genevieve and its related forms such as Genoveva.
Genova Name History & Origins
The name belongs first to the city on the Ligurian coast. Latin Genua is the ancient form recorded for it; Italian Genova shows the city name's development in Italian, including the soft g before e and the change from Latin -ua to Italian -ova. Genoa was a major maritime republic in the Middle Ages, and the Italian form Genova was the name used in Italian-speaking administration and trade.
As a personal name, Genova is a transferred place name rather than an inherited personal name with a separate root. English usually calls the city Genoa; Genova is the Italian form. The given name is distinct from Geneva, whose Latin name was Genava, and from Genevieve and its Spanish and Portuguese form Genoveva, despite the similar sounds. The spelling Genova is the standard Italian form; the Spanish place name is Génova, with an accent.
How Popular is the Name Genova?
Genova has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1991. Its best rank was #2,979 in 1920.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,785 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #7,010 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2023 | #11,528 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #9,257 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #9,171 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #9,795 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #14,386 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #13,385 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #12,219 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #16,158 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #6,782 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #5,054 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1967 | #6,281 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #5,800 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #5,068 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #5,530 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1943 | #4,920 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1940 | #3,632 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1939 | #4,491 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #3,617 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1934 | #3,991 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #5,148 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #5,383 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1923 | #3,001 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1922 | #3,799 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #4,704 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #2,979 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1919 | #4,001 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1918 | #3,637 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #4,881 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #4,708 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1913 | #3,385 | 5 | 0.0008% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Genova Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Genova's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Genova's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.