Find out how popular the first name Jennette has been for the last 45 years (from 1974 to 2018) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Jennette by gender

Based on the last 45 years of data, Jennette is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2018, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Jennette.

The history of the first name Jennette

The name Jennette is a feminine given name with origins tracing back to the French language and culture. It is a variant spelling of the more common name Jeannette, which is a French diminutive form of the name Jeanne. Jeanne itself is the French form of the Hebrew name Johanna, derived from the male name John, meaning "God is gracious" or "Yahweh is merciful."

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Jennette can be found in literary works from the 16th century. In 1530, the French writer Clément Marot included a character named Jennette in his poem "La Vieille." This early literary reference suggests that the name was already in use during the Renaissance period.

Historically, the name Jennette has been associated with several notable individuals. In the 17th century, Jennette Arnoux (1610-1670) was a French nun and founder of the Order of the Daughters of Providence. She dedicated her life to educating and caring for orphaned and impoverished children.

Another prominent figure bearing the name Jennette was Jennette Arnold (1684-1755), an English actress and playwright who performed in several plays by William Shakespeare during the Restoration period. She is also credited with co-authoring the play "The Campaigners" in 1698.

In the 19th century, Jennette Humphrey (1829-1864) was an American educator and abolitionist who worked alongside Frederick Douglass and played a crucial role in the anti-slavery movement. She established several schools for African American children in Maryland and advocated for equal education opportunities.

Moving into the 20th century, Jennette Green (1909-1997) was an American artist and poet who gained recognition for her abstract expressionist paintings and her contributions to the Chicago literary scene. Her work was exhibited in various galleries and museums throughout the United States.

Another notable figure with the name Jennette is Jennette Threlfall (1937-2019), a British actress best known for her role as Violet Wakefield in the long-running TV series "Coronation Street." She appeared in over 2,600 episodes of the show, making her one of the longest-serving cast members in British television history.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Jennette was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jennette, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!