Jennifer first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Jennifer has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Jennifer

A feminine name of English origin derived from Guinevere.

Popularity of Jennifer by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Jennifer is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Jennifer being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 583 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Jennifer.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 583
2022 0 624
2021 0 634
2020 0 711
2019 0 787
2018 0 920
2017 0 1,050
2016 6 1,161
2015 0 1,286
2014 6 1,521
2013 0 1,691
2012 5 1,925
2011 6 2,279
2010 6 2,621
2009 5 2,987
2008 15 3,795
2007 7 4,652
2006 16 5,267
2005 15 5,836
2004 23 6,545
2003 18 7,566
2002 27 8,539
2001 26 8,921
2000 32 9,389
1999 28 10,614
1998 26 10,691
1997 37 11,839
1996 35 11,729
1995 55 12,682
1994 45 14,000
1993 50 15,750
1992 58 17,820
1991 66 20,673
1990 87 22,234
1989 146 23,999
1988 114 27,891
1987 113 32,705
1986 163 36,185
1985 161 42,657
1984 204 50,561
1983 196 54,350
1982 183 57,119
1981 192 57,048
1980 211 58,381
1979 205 56,718
1978 203 56,323
1977 179 58,964
1976 200 59,474
1975 225 58,188
1974 185 63,110

The history of the first name Jennifer

The given name Jennifer originated from the Cornish language, a Brythonic Celtic language spoken in Cornwall, England. It is derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, which means "fair and smooth" or "white and smooth." The name was anglicized to Jennifer during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jennifer appears in the Arthurian legends, where it was the name of King Arthur's wife, Guinevere. In the Welsh tale "Culhwch and Olwen," she is referred to as Gwenhwyfar. The name also appears in other medieval texts, such as the "History of the Kings of Britain" by Geoffrey of Monmouth, written in the 12th century.

The name Jennifer gained popularity in England during the 16th century, though it remained relatively uncommon until the 20th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name Jennifer was Jennifer Gaddesden, who was born in 1539 and was a member of the English gentry.

In the 17th century, the name Jennifer appeared in several literary works, including the play "The Alchemist" by Ben Jonson (1610) and the poem "The Faerie Queene" by Edmund Spenser (1590-1596). These works helped to increase the name's visibility and familiarity among the English-speaking population.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Jennifer. One of the earliest was Jennifer Remington, an English actress and playwright born in 1609. Another was Jennifer Venn, a 17th-century English mathematician and logician (1638-1688). In the 18th century, Jennifer Randolph (1742-1828) was a prominent American landowner and plantation owner in Virginia.

In the 19th century, Jennifer Dill (1822-1891) was a British botanist and naturalist, while Jennifer Paston (1854-1932) was an English writer and activist. Jennifer Bevan (1890-1963) was a Welsh artist and printmaker who gained recognition for her woodcut illustrations.

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 Jennifer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Jennifer first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/jennifer-meaning-and-history/.

"Jennifer first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/jennifer-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 4 November, 2024

Jennifer first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/jennifer-meaning-and-history/.

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