Jennifer

Where Jennifer comes from

From Cornish Gweniver, from Middle Cornish Gwynnever (cognate with Welsh Gwenhwyfar), from Proto-Brythonic *Gwɨnnohuɨβar. Doublet of Guinevere. Compare Irish Fionnabhair, which may be cognate. The /d͡ʒ/ consonantism is due to Anglo-Norman influence; compare Old French Genievre /d͡ʒəˈniɛ̯vɾə/, /d͡ʒəˈnjɛvɾə/.
— Wiktionary's entry for Jennifer
  • Cornish
  • 3 syllables
Along the way
  1. 1919
    First appearance
    #4,251 among girls, 6 babies — the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1969
    Jennifer Aniston born
    American actress
  3. 1969
    Jennifer Lopez born
    American singer and actress
  4. 1972
    Peak, #1
    63,600 babies named Jennifer — more than any year before or since.
  5. 1988
    The fade
    The first year with half the peak's births — down to #5.
In the dictionary
  • A female given name from Cornish.
Namesakes
  • Jennifer Lopez · American singer and actress, born 1969
  • Jennifer Aniston · American actress, born 1969
  • Jennifer Lawrence · American actress and producer, born 1990
  • Jennifer Connelly · American actress, born 1970
  • Jennifer Garner · American actress, born 1972

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.