Jenene
Of English origin, meaning "Little Janet," a diminutive of Janet.
Name Census estimates that about 427 living Americans carry the first name Jenene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jenene today is around 58 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jenene births was 1960 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jenene. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
427
~ 1 in 802,703 Americans
Peak year
1960
24 babies that year
Average age
58
years old
2004 SSA rank
#17,268
Tracked since 1934
Popularity
Jenene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jenene from the 1930s through to the 2000s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 160 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jenene by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Jenene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jenenes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Jenene
The name Jenene is believed to have originated from the French language, derived from the Hebrew name Jeanine, which means "God is gracious." The name first emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, and was primarily used in France and other parts of Western Europe.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Jenene can be found in a 13th-century French manuscript, where it was used as a variant spelling of Jeanine. This suggests that the name had already gained popularity in certain regions during that time period.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Jenene de Montfort (1505-1578) was a French noblewoman and courtier who served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine de' Medici. Her presence at the French court likely contributed to the further dissemination of the name among the aristocracy.
Another historical figure bearing the name Jenene was Jenene de la Roche (1628-1698), a French poet and playwright who gained recognition for her literary works during the reign of King Louis XIV. Her plays were performed at the famous Comédie-Française theater in Paris.
In the 19th century, Jenene Desbordes-Valmore (1786-1859) was a celebrated French poet and novelist who left a lasting impact on the literary world. Her poetry collections, such as "Les Pleurs" and "Pauvres Fleurs," explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition.
Moving into the 20th century, Jenene Durand (1910-1994) was a prominent French fashion designer who gained international acclaim for her elegant and sophisticated clothing lines. She was known for her innovative use of fabrics and attention to detail, establishing herself as a leading figure in the fashion industry.
While the name Jenene has French origins, it has been adopted and used in various cultures and regions around the world, including in English-speaking countries, where it has gained popularity as a variant of the more common name Jeanine.
People
Jenene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jenene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jenene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jenene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 427 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jenene going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 802,703 US residents.
Is Jenene a common name?
We classify Jenene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 543 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jenene most popular?
The single biggest year for Jenene was 1960, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jenene is about 58 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jenene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jenene in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.