Total births
126,877
Unisex name · since 1880
Gene
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 126,877 babies named Gene, peaking in 1937. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1903
- among boys today
- 126,877
- born since 1880
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Gene currently ranks #1903 among unisex names in America, with 126,877 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Gene recorded 126,877 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #1903 nationally today, ahead of 87% of boys, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1903 among boys today
- 126,877 born since 1880
- 1930s peak decade
- 87% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gene is currently the #1903 unisex name in America, more common than 87% of boys - 126,877 born since 1880, peaking in the 1930s.
- #1903
- among boys today
- 126,877
- born since 1880
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Gene vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1903
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 87% of names given to boys today.
1930s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Gene was born in this single decade.
1937
Single peak year
3,165 babies were named Gene in 1937 - its busiest year on record.
How Gene compares
126,877 Top 2% higher than 98% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gene's all-time total is 346x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gene | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 126,877 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 3,165 | 23 | 22,252 |
Gene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Gene splits its recorded history at 1953: 32% of all births land in the more recent half, 68% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1880 (7 births) -- compare that against the 1937 peak of 3,165 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Gene at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1937
Current rank
#1,903
Active since
1880
Gene popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1937)
- 3,165
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Gene popularity over time - girls
6,997 total births recorded since 1882 (Gene as girls' name)
Gene by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Gene's strongest decade.
29,313 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Gene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 129
1880s
129 births
- 1890s 219
1890s
219 births
- 1900s 554
1900s
554 births
- 1910s 3,870
1910s
3,870 births
- 1920s
1920s
17,579 births
- 1930s
1930s
29,313 births
- 1940s
1940s
27,739 births
- 1950s
1950s
19,694 births
- 1960s
1960s
13,701 births
- 1970s 6,233
1970s
6,233 births
- 1980s 3,621
1980s
3,621 births
- 1990s 2,058
1990s
2,058 births
- 2000s 999
2000s
999 births
- 2010s 695
2010s
695 births
- 2020s 473
2020s
473 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 29,313 births (23% of all-time use).
How Gene compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Gene's total volume
Gene vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gene by state
Where Gene concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 8,025 | 6.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 7,834 | 6.2% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 6,997 | 5.5% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 6,871 | 5.4% |
| #5 | New York | | 5,813 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 5,374 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Missouri | | 4,283 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 4,124 | 3.3% |
California share of Gene's total US births 6.3%
Even split
8,025 of 126,877 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Gene appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gene? ▼
126,877 babies have been named Gene since 1880. It currently ranks #1903 among boys. The peak year was 1937 with 3,165 births.
When was Gene most popular? ▼
Gene was most popular in the 1930s decade with 29,313 total births. The single peak year was 1937.
Where is Gene most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gene are California (8,025 births), Texas (7,834 births), Illinois (6,997 births).
Is Gene a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Gene is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 126,877 births, and as a girl's name it has 6,997 births.
How long has the name Gene been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Gene since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Gene? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Genaro, Gentry, General, Geno, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gene's data
- Gene's decade-level peak was the 1930s (29,313 total births); usage has since declined to 473 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Genes (8,025 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gene
Nearby Names Like Gene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gene
Genaro Boy
#2425 7,669 births
Gentry Boy
#1600 4,287 births
General Boy
#9896 4,025 births
Geno Boy
#2755 3,725 births
Genesis Boy
#1148 3,666 births
Compare Gene side by side: Gene vs Genaro Gene vs Gentry Gene vs General
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gene
Emile #1902
8,641 births · Peak 1922
Roderick #1904
47,183 births · Peak 1971
Kassius #1901
1,187 births · Peak 2022
Marlin #1905
21,172 births · Peak 1935
Mavrick #1900
1,694 births · Peak 2020
Carmen #1906
16,961 births · Peak 1924
Ezriel #1899
1,006 births · Peak 2024
Holt #1907
1,924 births · Peak 2019
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gene: #1903 Unisex Name - 126,877 Births, Peak 1937." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gene. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Gene draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.