Eugène

Eugène is a masculine given name of French origin. It derives from the Greek eu- meaning "good" or "well" and genēs meaning "born," conveying the sense of "well-born" or "noble." The traditional French form is Eugène, while in other languages the name appears as Eugene (English), Eugenio (Italian, Spanish), Eugen (German, Dutch), or various transliterations in Slavic languages. The feminine French form is Eugénie.

Historically, the name was especially popular in 19th-century France and remains in use, though less common today. It has produced a number of notable figures across the arts and sciences, including painters, writers, and performers. Notable people named Eugène include the French Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863); the theatre writers Eugène Labiche (1815–1888) and Eugène Ionesco (1909–1994); the violinist and composer Eugène Ysaÿe (1858–1931); and the photographer Eugène Atget (1857–1927). The name also occurs in other countries, adapted to local linguistic forms.

The root of the name also appears in related terms such as eugenics, though the given name and the scientific term are etymologically connected but refer to different concepts.