NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Gene

A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "well-born" or "noble".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Gene is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Gene popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #702, with 51 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 51 births.

This profile covers 774 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Gene is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 803 living people in the UK are called Gene. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Gene ranked #702 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 51 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 51 boys were registered as Gene.
  • Gene ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #395 in 2023.
  • About 803 living people in the UK are estimated to have Gene as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#702

2024

Births in 2024

51

Latest year

Peak year

2024

51 births

Estimated living

803

2026

Meaning

What does Gene mean?

The given name Gene is derived from the Greek word "genos," which means "race" or "family." This name has its roots in ancient Greek culture, dating back to the classical period.

In ancient Greek mythology, the word "genos" was often used to refer to the lineage or descent of gods and heroes. It held significant meaning in the context of genealogy and ancestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gene can be found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who lived from 428 BC to 348 BC. He used the term "genos" frequently in his writings, particularly in discussions about the nature of humanity and the idea of the "ideal society."

During the Byzantine era, the name Gene began to gain popularity as a personal name, particularly among the ruling classes and nobility. It was seen as a name that conveyed a sense of nobility and connection to one's ancestral roots.

One notable historical figure with the name Gene was Gennadius I, who served as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 458 to 471 AD. He played a significant role in the development of the Eastern Orthodox Church and its theological doctrines.

In the Middle Ages, the name Gene continued to be used across various European regions, particularly in areas influenced by Greek culture and the Eastern Orthodox tradition. During this time, it was often associated with scholars and intellectuals who studied ancient Greek texts and philosophy.

One famous bearer of the name Gene was Genesius of Rome, a legendary Christian saint who lived in the 3rd century AD. According to tradition, he was a comedian who mocked Christianity on stage but later converted and was martyred for his newfound faith.

In the Renaissance period, the name Gene experienced a resurgence in popularity, especially among the humanist scholars who revived the study of classical Greek and Roman literature. One notable figure from this era was Genesius of Constantinople (1210-1279), a renowned scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

As the name Gene spread across Europe, it also found its way into other cultures and languages. In French, for example, it took the form of "Gène," while in Italian, it became "Geno."

Throughout history, several other notable individuals have borne the name Gene, including Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924), an American novelist and naturalist known for her works such as "Freckles" and "A Girl of the Limberlost"; Gene Kelly (1912-1996), the legendary American actor, dancer, and choreographer; and Gene Roddenberry (1921-1991), the creator of the iconic science fiction series "Star Trek."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Gene over time

The chart below shows babies named Gene registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Gene, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 51 births in 2024, compared with 51 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Gene
013263851199620102024

Decades

Gene by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Gene was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #799 206 5
2010s #895 345 10
2000s #1125 209 9
1990s #2292 14 3

Geography

Where Gene is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Gene. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Gene ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #395 in 2023.

Northern Ireland
3
Scotland
3

Across the UK

Gene in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#727 in 2024

8 years of NRS records, 28 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#395 in 2023

2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Gene

  • Gene Ormsby

    rugby league player

    English rugby league footballer

    1992-

  • Gene Bates

    sport cyclist

    Australian racing cyclist

    1981-

  • Gene Kan

    engineer; computer scientist; programmer

    American computer programmer (1976–2002)

    1976-2002

  • Gene Stuart

    singer

    Irish country music singer, born in County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland

    1944-2016

  • Gene Paul

    audio engineer; record producer; mastering engineer

    Recording engineer

    1944-

  • Gene Harvey

    physician

    Bermudian physician

    1936-

  • Gene Anderson

    actor; film actor

    British actress (1931-1965)

    1931-1965

  • Gene Kemp

    writer; children's writer

    English children's writer

    1926-2015

Related

Names similar to Gene

FAQ

Gene: questions and answers

How popular is the name Gene in the UK right now?

In 2024, Gene was ranked #702 for boys in England and Wales, with 51 births registered.

When was Gene most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 51 babies registered as Gene in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Gene?

A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "well-born" or "noble".

How many people are called Gene in the UK?

A total of 774 babies have been registered as Gene across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 28 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Gene most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Gene ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #395 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.