Jennifer Name Meaning
Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Jennifer.
Fact checked by Elizabeth BrownfieldFact checked by Elizabeth Brownfield
If you are looking for a name that was once wildly popular but has since become less widespread, then Jennifer may be a great choice. The name Jennifer is actually a distant cousin of Guinevere, the name of King Arthur’s queen in British legends. The Welsh form Gwenhwyfar may have meant “fair one,” “blessed spirit,” or “enchantress.”
Origin: Guinevere’s name was spelled in a variety of ways (Guenevere, Guenever, Gwenivar). The Cornish form Gwennever was eventually adopted into English as Jennifer.
Gender: Jennifer is traditionally a feminine name. While boys have been named Jennifer, it is relatively rare.
Pronunciation: JEN-i-fer
Editor's Note
Although baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex need not play any role in your name selection process. It’s important to select the name that you feel best suits your new baby.
How Popular Is the Name Jennifer?
Jennifer was the No. 1 most popular baby name for girls in America from 1970 to 1984. In addition, Jennifer was consistently in the top 10 from 1966 to 1991, an astonishing 25-year span in which Jennifer was exceptionally popular.
Jennifer’s rise to the top was relatively sudden. In the early 1900s, the name was just entering the lexicon. In the the play The Doctor’s Dilemma by George Bernard Shaw, a character introduced herself as Jennifer.
After Shaw's play came to Broadway in 1927, the name Jennifer quickly started to become popular in the US. By 1938, it was in the top 1,000 girl names in the US, and by 1956, it was in the top 100. The name Jennifer remained a top-100 girl name until 2009. But the name’s popularity has since waned. In 2023, Jennifer ranked as the No. 517 girl’s name in the US.
Name Variations
Sometimes alternate spellings are used, such as Jenifer or Jennefer. In addition, the name Jennifer takes different forms in other languages:
Dzsenifer (Hungarian)
Ginebra (Spanish)
Ginevra (Italian)
Ginewra (Polish)
Guenièvre (French)
Xenevra (Galician)
Similar Names
The first syllable in Jennifer has been combined with various other names, leading to such creations as Jenibeth (Jen + Elizabeth), Jenilee (Jen + Lee), and Jenilyn (Jen + Lynn). Other "J" names, such as Jeanine and Jeannette, have also been spelled as Jenine or Jennette, reflecting the influence of Jennifer.
Other totally rad ‘80s names include:
Amanda
Ashley
Heather
Kimberly
Megan
Melissa
Nicole
Stephanie
More names starting with "J" include:
Jade
Jane
Janet
Jasmine
Josie
Joy
Juliana
Juliette
Nicknames for Jennifer
The name Jennifer is frequently shortened to Jen, Jenna, Jenni, Jennie, or Jenny.
Suggested Sibling Names
Some names that might go well with Jennifer are:
Famous People Named Jennifer
There are many famous Jennifers, including:
Jennifer Aniston, Emmy Award-winning actress known for her role on the TV show Friends
Jennifer Beals, American actress known for her roles in the film Flashdance and the Showtime TV series The L Word
Jennifer Connelly, Academy Award-winning actress known for her roles in the films Labyrinth and A Beautiful Mind
Jennifer Coolidge, American actress and comedian known for her roles in the American Pie and Legally Blonde films
Jennifer Doudna, American biochemist and Nobel prize winner known for her pioneering work in CRISPR gene editing
Jennifer Garner, American actress known for her roles in the film 13 Going on 30 and the TV show Alias
Jennifer Granholm, American politician, former governor of Michigan, and sixteenth US Secretary of Energy
Jennifer Grey, American actress known for her roles in the films Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Dirty Dancing
Jennifer Love Hewitt, American actress known for her roles in the TV show Party of Five and the I Know What You Did Last Summer film series
Jennifer Hudson, American singer and Academy Award-winning actress known for her Grammy Award-winning self-titled R&B album and her role in the film Dreamgirls
Jennifer Lawrence, American actress known for her role as Katniss in the Hunger Games film series and her Academy Award-winning performance in Silver Linings Playbook
Jennifer Jason Leigh, American actress known for her roles in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Backdraft, and Single White Female
Jennifer Lopez, American singer, dancer, actress, and Latina cultural icon, known for her highly successful songs and films as well as her appearances as a judge on American Idol
Jennifer Lynch, American director and screenwriter, known for her films Boxing Helena and Surveillance
Jennifer Psaki, American political advisor and press secretary for President Joe Biden
Jennifer Rubin, American political commentator and columnist for The Washington Post
More Baby Names
Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:
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Read the original article on Parents.
