Eugene
yoo-JEEN
A classic name meaning “well-born” or “noble-born.”
Meaning
Eugene comes through Latin Eugenius from Greek roots meaning “well-born” or “of noble birth.” The excerpts also note it as the source of feminine forms like Eugenia and Eugenie, and one older Irish tradition links Eugene to Anglicized forms of Eogan.
Origin
GreekLatinFrenchEnglishmasculine
Fun fact
The name’s popularity in France was notably boosted by Prince Eugene of Savoy, a figure praised in the excerpts for his fame in Austria and England.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.