General
General is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Universal, general, or commander of an army.
Origin and history
General originated as a vocabulary name derived from the military title and broad descriptive word. In the United States, it saw peak usage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often given in honor of military leaders. Today, it remains an extremely rare and distinctive choice for boys.
Popularity in the United States
4,025 babies in the United States have been named General since 1880. It ranks #1989 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1882.
States where it is most popular
- GA (19.5 %)
- AL (19.2 %)
- NC (13.9 %)
- KY (8.5 %)
- SC (8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 290 |
| 1890-1900 | 278 |
| 1900-1910 | 229 |
| 1910-1920 | 575 |
| 1920-1930 | 698 |
| 1930-1940 | 505 |
| 1940-1950 | 473 |
| 1950-1960 | 289 |
| 1960-1970 | 181 |
| 1970-1980 | 126 |
| 1980-1990 | 72 |
| 1990-2000 | 74 |
| 2000-2010 | 77 |
| 2010-2019 | 113 |
| 2020-2029 | 45 |
Famous people named General
- General Johnson: Singer, Songwriter
Fun facts
- Many children named General in the late 1800s were named in honor of prominent military leaders such as General Ulysses S. Grant.
- It belongs to a traditional category of occupational and title-based names used in American naming history.