General
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- JEN-er-al
- Origin
- English
General is a boys' name of English origin, meaning “senior army commander”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does General mean?
English: the military rank, via Latin generalis
“senior army commander”
From the English military rank, which comes from Latin generalis, 'relating to the whole'.
Is General a girl's or a boy's name?
General is a boys' name.
How popular is General in the US?
No boys in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1918, with 105 boys.
Half of all the boys named General in the US since 1880 were born between 1915 and 1949. It was already well used in 1880, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
General in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | #9,888 |
| 2023 | 11 | #7,284 |
| 2022 | 7 | #9,815 |
| 2021 | 7 | #9,709 |
| 2020 | 13 | #6,292 |
| 2019 | 11 | #7,168 |
| 2018 | 6 | #10,754 |
| 2017 | 11 | #7,091 |
| 2016 | 13 | #6,344 |
| 2015 | 13 | #6,320 |
| 2014 | 10 | #7,557 |
| 2013 | 17 | #5,167 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8,152 |
| 2011 | 15 | #5,670 |
| 2010 | 8 | #8,797 |
| 2009 | 8 | #8,980 |
| 2008 | 10 | #7,693 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,169 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8,726 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8,292 |
| 2004 | 10 | #6,970 |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 7 | #8,449 |
| 2001 | 8 | #7,529 |
| 2000 | 9 | #6,832 |
| 1999 | 5 | #9,905 |
| 1998 | 0 | – |
| 1997 | 7 | #7,275 |
| 1996 | 5 | #9,008 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6,400 |
| 1994 | 8 | #6,366 |
| 1993 | 13 | #4,440 |
| 1992 | 8 | #6,120 |
| 1991 | 7 | #6,511 |
| 1990 | 13 | #4,161 |
| 1989 | 0 | – |
| 1988 | 9 | #4,781 |
| 1987 | 9 | #4,567 |
| 1986 | 6 | #5,920 |
| 1985 | 7 | #5,142 |
| 1984 | 11 | #3,698 |
| 1983 | 8 | #4,497 |
| 1982 | 9 | #4,232 |
| 1981 | 5 | #6,260 |
| 1980 | 8 | #4,493 |
| 1979 | 13 | #3,167 |
| 1978 | 12 | #3,214 |
| 1977 | 11 | #3,384 |
| 1976 | 8 | #4,010 |
| 1975 | 7 | #4,307 |
| 1974 | 17 | #2,356 |
| 1973 | 15 | #2,511 |
| 1972 | 15 | #2,418 |
| 1971 | 15 | #2,463 |
| 1970 | 13 | #2,620 |
| 1969 | 19 | #1,913 |
| 1968 | 14 | #2,199 |
| 1967 | 14 | #2,138 |
| 1966 | 21 | #1,683 |
| 1965 | 16 | #1,986 |
| 1964 | 18 | #1,899 |
| 1963 | 21 | #1,743 |
| 1962 | 21 | #1,756 |
| 1961 | 16 | #2,069 |
| 1960 | 21 | #1,771 |
| 1959 | 17 | #1,973 |
| 1958 | 21 | #1,723 |
| 1957 | 24 | #1,633 |
| 1956 | 22 | #1,675 |
| 1955 | 23 | #1,610 |
| 1954 | 34 | #1,291 |
| 1953 | 40 | #1,169 |
| 1952 | 27 | #1,460 |
| 1951 | 39 | #1,149 |
| 1950 | 42 | #1,085 |
| 1949 | 37 | #1,162 |
| 1948 | 45 | #1,046 |
| 1947 | 45 | #1,080 |
| 1946 | 48 | #967 |
| 1945 | 52 | #864 |
| 1944 | 45 | #964 |
| 1943 | 60 | #856 |
| 1942 | 54 | #900 |
| 1941 | 34 | #1,129 |
| 1940 | 53 | #862 |
| 1939 | 45 | #931 |
| 1938 | 49 | #897 |
| 1937 | 42 | #967 |
| 1936 | 50 | #861 |
| 1935 | 51 | #881 |
| 1934 | 59 | #808 |
| 1933 | 60 | #788 |
| 1932 | 51 | #902 |
| 1931 | 53 | #879 |
| 1930 | 45 | #1,021 |
| 1929 | 45 | #1,010 |
| 1928 | 57 | #883 |
| 1927 | 81 | #722 |
| 1926 | 64 | #825 |
| 1925 | 63 | #835 |
| 1924 | 57 | #925 |
| 1923 | 70 | #791 |
| 1922 | 79 | #742 |
| 1921 | 91 | #677 |
| 1920 | 91 | #667 |
| 1919 | 99 | #608 |
| 1918 | 105 | #596 |
| 1917 | 81 | #664 |
| 1916 | 63 | #771 |
| 1915 | 60 | #776 |
| 1914 | 41 | #836 |
| 1913 | 39 | #745 |
| 1912 | 39 | #681 |
| 1911 | 16 | #823 |
| 1910 | 32 | #492 |
| 1909 | 33 | #436 |
| 1908 | 27 | #475 |
| 1907 | 24 | #472 |
| 1906 | 19 | #523 |
| 1905 | 24 | #452 |
| 1904 | 23 | #444 |
| 1903 | 15 | #576 |
| 1902 | 16 | #536 |
| 1901 | 15 | #506 |
| 1900 | 33 | #385 |
| 1899 | 28 | #336 |
| 1898 | 38 | #307 |
| 1897 | 18 | #459 |
| 1896 | 35 | #315 |
| 1895 | 20 | #437 |
| 1894 | 26 | #358 |
| 1893 | 29 | #323 |
| 1892 | 33 | #320 |
| 1891 | 27 | #325 |
| 1890 | 24 | #358 |
| 1889 | 34 | #288 |
| 1888 | 31 | #324 |
| 1887 | 27 | #321 |
| 1886 | 23 | #357 |
| 1885 | 36 | #277 |
| 1884 | 25 | #352 |
| 1883 | 25 | #331 |
| 1882 | 33 | #298 |
| 1881 | 24 | #332 |
| 1880 | 32 | #291 |
Names like General
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
George Arthur William Warren Charlie Henry Walter Royal Harvey Archie Lewis Gus
More English names
Lily Evelyn Hudson Ivy Harper Grace Violet Willow Daisy Poppy Riley Oakley Mason Cooper Ruby Hallie
Sources
Figures from Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “General: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/general, updated 20 October 2026.