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Original poster

How bad is the name Eugene?

109 replies

chinyu · 08/10/2026 10:29

Pregnant with my second, first boy. My daughter also has a traditionally “old lady” name. Husband and I have fought for months over boy names and this one is in our top three.

I know people find it nerdy but I find it cute. Just how bad is it? I can take it. 😆😩 I fear I’m not going to be able to name this kid until he’s earthside.

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PissTakePeg · 08/10/2026 12:09

Makes me think of Gene Kelly, which is always a happy thought. I used to work with a Eugene who went by Euge for short, but that might not work in every accent.

I'm not mad about the name but if you are, that's all the matters.

LilyBunch25 · 08/10/2026 11:54

I immediately think Walking Dead but am probably in the minority.

cartagenagina · 08/10/2026 11:43

Gene is nice.

Eugene is weedy.

Maia77 · 08/10/2026 11:41

The name Eugene makes me think of an American high court judge, or sth like that.

OttersOnAPlane · 08/10/2026 11:19

Eugene is a pasty-faced socially awkward kid who gets bullied. He interrupts when adults are talking to correct them, and is widely disliked. His clothes smell musty, like they were forgotten in the washing machine for too long.

Don't saddle a baby with that.

Flynn Rider is the only acceptable Eugene, and he's animated.

Blackandyellow65 · 08/10/2026 11:17

Anyone remember the bgt man? Hi my name is eugene.. 🤣🤣

How bad is the name Eugene?
Tryagain26 · 08/10/2026 11:14

You are not going to find a name that everyone likes.
It's not offensive. I think of it as a name more popular in the USA than in the UK but I have heard worse. If you like it use it.

OffTheMap · 08/10/2026 11:12

No

Not unless you move in circles where young friends will be called Ptolemy and Julian

To me it sounds very wet and posh

And ugly to say.

I have a good friend called Eugene who is neither wet nor posh, love him, don’t really think about it because it’s just his name but when I do think about it I don’t like his name.

Aposterhasnoname · 08/10/2026 11:10

Awful, sorry

fudgecat · 08/10/2026 11:09

Am I the only person who immediately thought of Eugene Tooms?

Leonoraeyre · 08/10/2026 11:07

It' awful.

ZeStreoving · 08/10/2026 11:06

Its terrible.

DancingInTheMoonlights · 08/10/2026 11:05

It does make me think of Eugene in Grease but younger people might not have that connection?

DramaAlpaca · 08/10/2026 11:04

It's awful

Raiderofthelostbattenburg · 08/10/2026 10:59

I actually really love it! In a quirky geek chic way. But it’ll definitely be divisive!

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/10/2026 10:51

I like it.

AllPlayedOut · 08/10/2026 10:49

It’s an incredibly ugly name.

purplecorkheart · 08/10/2026 10:46

I know a few mainly older men. Most of them go by Gene and the other one by their middle name. None of them use Eugene.

catdistributionsystem · 08/10/2026 10:42

I like the actual name, but I worked with an utterly horrible Eugene so it’s forever tainted for me Grin

IzzyLeng · 08/10/2026 10:42

MyGirlJ · 08/10/2026 10:35

I know a Eugene who's in his late 20s. He's a cool guy, successful at what he does, and he's really nice. I wasn't keen on the name Eugene, but he changed my mind and I now like the name. Funny how that can happen.

I think this is the issue though. A cool, successful guy can carry it off. Someone who’s a bit average, a bit geeky, not overly popular are not going to carry it off as easily. In school there’s a chance such a name makes him a target.

IsThePopeCatholic · 08/10/2026 10:41

Like it.

dnadiscoveryquery · 08/10/2026 10:40

I’m GenX so it just reminds me of Eugene from Grease (who was solidy picked on for being a geek)

Autumnalhibernationisthedream · 08/10/2026 10:40

One of the nicest people I’ve ever met is called Eugene and my son has a lovely Eugene in his class. I love it!

Namiemcnameface · 08/10/2026 10:39

It's not for me. But then I think once it's someone's name your opinion changes. For example we have a Bruce and Marge at school 😆 not names I'd have bequeathed my children but once you know them it's just their name!

Isn't Eugene the real name of the guy from Tangled? But he didn't like it so went by Flynn....

Gengha · 08/10/2026 10:39

I think Gene is not too bad but Eugene is terrible