Genoa gave jeans their name through its French name, Genes.
The word “jeans” is linked to Genoa, the Italian port city whose name was rendered as “Gênes” in French. English speakers adapted that term for the sturdy cotton clothing associated with Genoese sailors and workers. The etymology refers to the garment’s historical association with the city, not to a particular modern brand.
This history is separate from the word “denim.” Denim comes from the French phrase “de Nîmes,” meaning “from Nîmes,” and refers to a different French city. The two words therefore preserve two different European place associations in the history of the fabric and garment.
Modern jeans developed in the United States during the nineteenth century, especially after copper-riveted work trousers were patented in 1873. Their name, however, reflects an older European textile and clothing vocabulary.