Eugene
From the Greek Eugenios, based on eugenes, "well-born" or "noble," which joins eu, "good," with genos, "birth."
Eugene in 2025
Eugene was given to 249 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,924th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 13,315 babies born.
The history of Eugene
Eugene reached its highest point in 1927, when 9,827 babies were given the name, ranking 41st that year. Its best-ever ranking was 40th, in 1928.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 383,340 babies have been named Eugene. Half of them were born before 1937, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Silent Generation.
Eugene by decade
| Decade | Babies named Eugene | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,461 | 120 |
| 1890s | 4,365 | 143 |
| 1900s | 6,002 | 139 |
| 1910s | 35,435 | 75 |
| 1920s | 85,390 | 40 |
| 1930s | 71,411 | 45 |
| 1940s | 57,535 | 77 |
| 1950s | 48,479 | 125 |
| 1960s | 29,500 | 234 |
| 1970s | 16,704 | 297 |
| 1980s | 10,684 | 392 |
| 1990s | 6,132 | 642 |
| 2000s | 3,797 | 1,052 |
| 2010s | 2,870 | 1,581 |
| 2020s | 1,575 | 1,756 |
Where Eugene is heading
Eugene has fallen 9% over the past decade, from 274 babies in 2015 to 249 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1927 peak — Eugene is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Eugene
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Eugene.