George
George: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /dʒɔːdʒ/
Meaning and origin of George
- A male given name from Ancient Greek.
- A diminutive of the female given names Georgina and Georgia; also used in the conjoined name George Ann(e).
Etymology
Name of an early saint, from Middle English George, from Latin Geōrgius, from Ancient Greek Γεώργῐος (Geṓrgĭos), from γεωργός (geōrgós, “farmer, earth worker”), from γῆ (gê, “earth”) (combining form γεω- (geō-)) + ἔργον (érgon, “work”) Doublet of Jorge and Geevarghese. The aircraft autopilot sense is probably from George DeBeeson, who patented an early (1931) autopilot system, and/or a reference to the expression let George do it. The Pullman porter sense derives from George Pullman, who hired Black people to staff his sleeping cars, and the patrons of the service seeing the Black people as servants of George Porter, much like how a slave was named after the master.
How popular is George?
Since 1880, 9,963 girls and 1,487,297 boys in the U.S. have been named George (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #286 in 1881. Its highest rank for boys was #4 in 1881. In 2025 it ranked #126 for boys, with 2,853 babies given the name.
Names similar to George
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Greek boy names
Sibling name ideas for George
Sister and brother names that share George's Greek roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
George FAQ
What does the name George mean?
A male given name from Ancient Greek. A diminutive of the female given names Georgina and Georgia; also used in the conjoined name George Ann(e). Name of an early saint, from Middle English George, from Latin Geōrgius, from Ancient Greek Γεώργῐος (Geṓrgĭos), from γεωργός (geōrgós, “farmer, earth worker”), from γῆ (gê, “earth”) (combining form γεω- (geō-)) + ἔργον (érgon, “work”) Doublet of Jorge and Geevarghese. The aircraft autopilot sense is probably from George DeBeeson, who patented an early (1931) autopilot system, and/or a reference to the expression let George do it. The Pullman porter sense derives from George Pullman, who hired Black people to staff his sleeping cars, and the patrons of the service seeing the Black people as servants of George Porter, much like how a slave was named after the master.
What is the origin of the name George?
George is listed as a name of Greek origin.
How popular is the name George?
Since 1880, 9,963 girls and 1,487,297 boys in the U.S. have been named George (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #286 in 1881. Its highest rank for boys was #4 in 1881. In 2025 it ranked #126 for boys, with 2,853 babies given the name.
Is George a boy or girl name?
George is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 9,963 girls and 1,487,297 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.