Eugene is a common masculine given name that comes from the Greek εὐγενής (eugenēs), "noble", literally "well-born",εὐγενής, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus from εὖ (eu), "well"εὖ, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus and γένος (genos), "race, stock, kin".γένος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Gene is a common shortened form. The feminine variant is Eugenia or Eugenie.
Other male foreign-language variants include:
Albanian Gjin, Eugjen, Efgjen Arpitan Eugêne, Genio Asturian Oxenu Basque Euken(i) Belarusian Jaŭhien (), Jaŭhienij (Яўгеній), Yauhen (Яўген) Breton Ujan Bulgarian Евгени (Evgeni) Catalan Eugeni Croatian Eugen Czech Evžen, Eugen Dutch Eugeen Esperanto Eŭgeno Estonian Jevgeni French Eugène, Yvain Galician Uxío German Eugen, Eugine Greek Ευγένιος (Eugénios) Hungarian Jenő, Eugén Indonesia Eguene Irish EoghanMorgan, T.J. and Morgan, Prys, Welsh Surnames, University of Wales, 1985, Owain (Owen, Bowen, Ednowain). pp.172-173: Owen is a derivation of the Latin Eugenis" > [Old Welsh] Ou(u)ein, Eug(u)ein ... 'variously written in [Middle Welsh] as Ewein, Owein, Ywein. LL gives the names Euguen, Iguein, Yuein, Ouein. The corresponding form in Irish is Eoghan." Morgan notes that there are less likely alternative explanations and agrees with Dr. Rachel Bromwich that Welsh Owein "is normally latinized as Eugenius", and both the Welsh and Irish forms are Latin derivatives. Another Latinised variation of the name Owen is Audoenus in certain parish registers.Surnames of the United Kingdom, reprinted for Clearfield Company, Inc by Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc, Baltimore 1995, 1996. Entry notes that the most likely and widely accepted origin of Owen (Old Welsh Owain, Irish Gaelic Eoghan, and Scottish Gaelic Eòghann) is from Latin Eugenius. "Cormic gives this origin for Eogan (one MS, Eogen); and Zimmer considers Owen to be borrowed from Latin Eugens, as noted by MacBain, p. 400. The mediaeval Latinization of Owen as Oenus led to a belief that the etymology was the Welsh and Breton oen ‘lamb’. With much stronger reason it was at one time considered that the name represented Irish eoghunn = Gael. Ogan – [f.Old Irish oc- Welsh og, young], ‘youth’. Italian Eugenio Japanese ユージーン (romanized as Yūjīn) Korean 유진 (romanized as Yujin or Yoojin) Latin Eugenius Latvian Eižens Lithuanian Eugenijus Macedonian Евгениј (Evgenij) Occitan Eugèni Piedmontese Genio Polish Eugeniusz (Gienek) Portuguese Eugênio (Brazil), Eugénio (Portugal) Romanian Eugen, Eugeniu Russian Евгений (transliterated as Evgeni, Evgeniy, Evgeny, Evgenii, Evgueni, Eugeny, Eugeniy, Ievgeny, Jevgeni, Jevgeny, Yevgeny, Yevgeni, Yevgeniy, in German often as Jewgenij or Jewgeni) Scottish Gaelic Eòghann, Ewan, Euan Serbian Еуген (Eugen), Евгеније (Evgenije) Sicilian Eugeniu Slovak Eugen Slovenian Evgen Spanish Eugenio Swedish Eugen Syriac (Augin) Ukrainian (national translit. Yevhen, also occur Ievhen, Yevgen, Ievgen), (Yevhenii, also occur Yevgenii, Ievhenii, Ievgenii, Yevheniy, Yevgeniy, Ievheniy), (Evhen), (Yivhen) Welsh Owain, Owen, Ouein, Oen, Ewein, Ywein/Ywain, Yuein,
People Notable people with the given name Eugene or Eugène include:
Christianity Eugene or Eugenios of Trebizond, 4th century Christian saint and martyr St. Eugene, one of the deacons of saint Zenobius of Florence Eugene (Eoghan) (died c. 618), Irish saint Pope Eugene I (died 657), Italian pope from 655 to 657 Pope Eugene II (died 827), Italian pope from 824 to 827 Pope Eugene III (died 1153), Italian pope from 1145 to 1153 Pope Eugene IV (1383–1447), Italian pope from 1431 to 1447 Eugène Philippe LaRocque (1927–2018), Roman Catholic bishop from Canada Eugene Antonio Marino (1934–2000), first African-American archbishop in the United States
Military Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663–1736), Austrian general, statesman of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian monarchy Eugène de Beauharnais (1781–1824), stepson and adopted child of Napoleon Eugene Goodman (born 1980), American United States Capitol Police officer who diverted invading rioters from the United States Senate chamber during the January 6 Capitol attack Eugene A. Greene (1921–1942), American sailor, posthumous recipient of the Navy Cross Eugene Hasenfus (1941–2025), United States Marine helping the right-wing rebel Contras in Nicaragua Eugène Maizan (1819–1845), French naval lieutenant and explorer Eugene Sledge (1923–2001), American World War II Marine and academic Eugene Sullivan (1918–1942), American sailor, one of the Sullivan brothers
Television and films Gene L. Coon (1924–1973), American screenwriter and television producer Eugene Cordero (born 1986), American actor Eugene Robert Glazer (born 1942), American actor Gene Hackman (1930–2025), American actor Gene Kelly (1912–1996), American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and choreographer Eugene Levy (born 1946), Canadian actor Eugene Mirman (born 1974), Russian-born American comedian, writer, and filmmaker Gene Rayburn (1917–1999), American radio personality and game show host Gene Roddenberry (1921–1991), American scriptwriter and producer Eugène Saccomano (1936–2019), French radio journalist and non-fiction author Gene Siskel (1946–1999), American film critic
Music Gene Allison (1934–2004), American R&B singer Gene Austin (1900–1972), American singer-songwriter Gene Clark (1944–1991), American singer, songwriter, founding member of the band The Byrds Eugen Doga (1937–2025), Moldovan composer Wendell Eugene (1923–2017), American jazz musician Eugene Aynsley Goossens (1893–1962), English conductor and composer Eugène Goossens, fils (1867–1958), French conductor and violinist Eugène Goossens, père (1845–1906), Belgian conductor Eugene Hütz (born 1972), Ukrainian-American singer, composer, disc jockey and actor, frontman of the band Gogol Bordello Eugene Izotov (born 1973), Russian-American oboist Gene Krupa (1909–1973), American jazz and big band drummer Gene McDaniels (1935–2011), American singer-songwriter Eugene Ormandy (1899–1985), Hungarian-born conductor Eugene Pao ( 2000s–2010s), Hong Kong jazz guitarist Gene Puerling (1929–2008), vocal arranger, leader of The Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited Gene Taylor (1929–2001), American jazz double bassist Eugene Tzigane (fl. 2000s–2020s), Japanese-American conductor Eugene Wright (1923–2020), American jazz bassist, member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet Eugène Ysaÿe (1858–1931), Belgian violinist, composer and conductor Gene Simmons (born 1949), bassist and co-lead singer of rock band Kiss
Literature
Eugene Field (1850–1895), American writer, columnist and children's poet Eugène Ionesco (1909–1994), Romanian-French playwright and dramatist Eugène Marin Labiche (1815–1888), French dramatist Eugène Lanti (1879–1947), French Esperantist, socialist and writer Eugène Marais (1871–1936), South African writer and poet Eugene O'Neill (1888–1953), American playwright Eugène Edine Pottier (1816–1887), French revolutionary socialist, poet, and transport worker Eugene Trivizas (born 1946), Greek author
Art Eugène Broerman (1861–1932), Belgian painter Eugène Boudin (1824–1898), French painter Eugène Carrière (1849–1906), French symbolist Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863), French painter Eugène Grasset (1845–1917), Swiss decorative artist of the Belle Epoque Eugène Jansson (1852–1915), Swedish painter Eugene Lambert (1928–2010), Irish puppeteer Eugene Pandala (born 1954), Indian architect Eugene Oliver Palmer (born 1955), Jamaican-born British artist Evgenios Spatharis (1924–2009), Greek shadow theatre artist Eugene V. Thaw (1927–2018), American art dealer and collector
Politics Eugène Koffi Adoboli (1934–2025), Togolese politician Eugene H. Belden (1840–1910), Michigan politician Eugene "Geno" Chiarelli (born 1994), West Virginian state delegate Eugene V. Debs (1855–1926), American socialist Eugene Reginald de Fonseka (died 2003), puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Eugène Heijnen (born 1964), Dutch politician and tax consultant Eugene D. Lujan (1887–1980), justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court Eugene McCarthy (1916–2005), U.S. senator from Minnesota Eugene McGehee (1929–2014), Louisiana politician Eugene Mitchell (1866–1944), American lawyer and president of the Atlanta Board of Education Eugène Paquet (1867–1951), Canadian parliamentarian Eugene E. Pratt (c. 1892–1970), justice of the Utah Supreme Court Eugène Ruffy (1854–1919), Swiss politician Eugene Sawyer (1934–2008), American businessman and politician Eugène Terre'Blanche (1941–2010), South African right-wing politician and leader of the AWB
Sports Eugene Asante (born 2001), American football player Eugene Laverty (born 1986), Irish professional motorcyclist Eugene Galekovic (born 1981), Australian goalkeeper Eugene Sseppuya (born 1983), Ugandan football striker Eugène Chaboud (1907–1983), Formula One driver from France Eugène Christophe (1885–1970), French professional cyclist Eugene Lawrence (born 1986), American professional basketball player Eugene Selznick (1930–2012), American volleyball player Eugene Glazer (fencer) (born 1939), American Olympic fencer Gene Cockrell (1934–2020), American football player Gene Filipski (1931–1994), American football player Gene Moore (outfielder) (1909–1978), right fielder in Major League Baseball Gene Moore (pitcher) (1886–1938), left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball Gene Okerlund (1942–2019), American professional wrestling announcer Gene Prebola (1938–2021), American football player Geno Smith (born 1990), American football player Gene Snitsky (born 1970), American professional wrestler who formerly performed for World Wrestling Entertainment Gene Upshaw (1945–2008), American football player, labor leader, and former NFL Players Association director
Sciences Eugène Michel Antoniadi (1870–1944), Greek astronomer Eugen Bleuler (1857–1939), Swiss psychiatrist who coined the terms schizophrenia and autism Eugene Braunwald (1929–2026), Austrian-born American cardiologist Eugène Charles Catalan (1814–1894), Belgian mathematician Eugene Cernan (1934–2017), American astronaut, eleventh person to walk on the Moon Eugene Chelyshev (1921–2020), Russian indologist Eugene Cussons (1979–2026), South African primatologist Eugène Joseph Delporte (1882–1955), Belgian astronomer Eugene V. Gallagher (born 1950), American religious scholar Eugene Goodilin (born 1969), Russian material scientist Eugene Gu (born 1986), American physician-scientist Eugene Guth (1905–1990), Hungarian-American theoretical physicist Eugene Lazowski (1913–2006), Polish doctor who saved 8,000 people by creating a fake typhus epidemic in World War II Eugene Parker (1927–2022), American solar and plasma physicist, after which the Parker Solar Probe was named Eugène Schueller (1881–1957), French chemist, entrepreneur and founder of L'Oréal Eugene Merle Shoemaker (1928–1997), American astronomer and geologist Eugène Simon (1848–1924), French arachnologist Eugène Soubeiran (1797–1859), French scientist who served as chief pharmacist at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital Eugene Stanley (born 1941), American physicist
Eugene Wigner (1902–1995), Hungarian-American theoretical physicist and winner of Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963
Other professions Eugene Allen (1919–2010), White House butler Eugene Burger (1939–2017), American magician and author Gene Gotti (born 1946), Italian-American mobster Eugene Jarvis (fl. 1970s–2020s), American computer games designer and programmer Eugene de Kock (born 1949), South African policeman serving a life sentence Gene Kranz (born 1933), NASA Flight Director Eugène Minkowski (1885–1972), French psychiatrist Eugene Murtagh (born 1942), Irish billionaire businessman, founder of Kingspan Group