Jennifer Girl

Popularity: #501 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JEN-ih-fur //ˈdʒɛnɪfər//

Origin: Welsh; English

Meaning: Welsh: white phantom; English: fair one

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jennifer has its roots in the Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, which is composed of the elements "gwen," meaning "white" or "fair," and "hwyfar," meaning "phantom" or "sprit." This etymological lineage traces back to the Old Welsh language, where Gwenhwyfar was a prominent name, particularly due to its association with the legendary figure of Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur in Arthurian legend. The name made its way into English through the Norman influence in the 11th century, as the Normans brought their own variations of Welsh names to England, leading to the adoption of Jennifer in its modern form.

Historically, the name Jennifer gained significant traction in the 20th century, particularly in the English-speaking world. It was notably popularized by the 20th-century literary and cinematic portrayals of characters named Jennifer, but its roots can be traced back to earlier periods, including the medieval era when variations of the name were used in literature and folklore.

The name's association with Guinevere, a figure of beauty and complexity, contributed to its enduring appeal. The earliest recorded use of the name in its modern form in England dates back to the 18th century, although it was not widely used until much later.

Culturally, Jennifer has been associated with themes of beauty, femininity, and strength, largely due to its connection to the legendary Guinevere. The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Jenny, which has been used affectionately throughout history.

The name's resonance in literature and popular culture has allowed it to maintain a significant presence across generations, reflecting the timeless qualities attributed to its historical and mythological roots.

Famous people named Jennifer

In this section, you will find notable people named Jennifer. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jennifer who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jennifer who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Jennifer Aniston is an actress best known for Friends, The Morning Show, and Marley & Me.

Jennifer Lawrence is an actress best known for The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle.

Jennifer Garner is an actress best known for Alias, 13 Going on 30, and Dallas Buyers Club.

Jennifer Hudson is a singer and actress best known for Dreamgirls, The Voice, and Respect.

Jennifer Coolidge is an actress best known for Legally Blonde, American Pie, and The White Lotus.

Jennifer Connelly is an actress best known for A Beautiful Mind, Requiem for a Dream, and Labyrinth.

Jennifer Tilly is an actress best known for Bound, Chucky, and The Fabulous Baker Boys.

Jennifer Ehle is an actress best known for Pride and Prejudice, The King's Speech, and Zero Dark Thirty.

Jennifer Nettles is a singer and songwriter best known for her work with Sugarland and her solo albums.

Jennifer Morrison is an actress best known for House, Once Upon a Time, and How I Met Your Mother.

Jennifer Love Hewitt is an actress best known for Ghost Whisperer, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Party of Five.

Fictional characters named Jennifer

The following list of fictional characters named Jennifer is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Jennifer Check is a fictional character from the film Jennifer's Body. She is a high school cheerleader who becomes possessed by a demon and starts to prey on her male classmates.

Jennifer Walters is a fictional character from Marvel Comics. She is a lawyer who gains superhuman abilities after receiving a blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner, becoming the superhero She-Hulk.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jennifer, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JessicaJasmineJuliaJordanJadeJoy

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jennifer. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

GenevieveGwendolynJacquelineJulietJocelynJasmineJanetJoanna

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jennifer was first seen in the United States in 1919.

Jennifer has ranked as high as #2 nationally, which occurred in 1972, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Jennifer has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jennifer is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jennifer was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jennifer.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 501 0 501
2024 556 0 556
2023 586 0 586
2022 630 0 630
2021 638 0 638
2020 713 0 713
2019 788 0 788
2018 921 0 921
2017 1,052 0 1,052
2016 1,168 6 1,162
2015 1,286 0 1,286
2014 1,527 6 1,521
2013 1,692 0 1,692
2012 1,933 5 1,928
2011 2,287 6 2,281
2010 2,628 6 2,622
2009 2,992 5 2,987
2008 3,812 15 3,797
2007 4,660 7 4,653
2006 5,285 17 5,268
2005 5,852 15 5,837
2004 6,568 23 6,545
2003 7,587 18 7,569
2002 8,567 27 8,540
2001 8,949 26 8,923
2000 9,422 32 9,390
1999 10,644 28 10,616
1998 10,718 26 10,692
1997 11,877 37 11,840
1996 11,767 35 11,732
1995 12,738 55 12,683
1994 14,045 44 14,001
1993 15,799 50 15,749
1992 17,877 58 17,819
1991 20,739 66 20,673
1990 22,323 87 22,236
1989 24,152 146 24,006
1988 28,007 114 27,893
1987 32,823 113 32,710
1986 36,350 163 36,187
1985 42,822 161 42,661
1984 50,768 204 50,564
1983 54,549 196 54,353
1982 57,303 183 57,120
1981 57,238 192 57,046
1980 58,585 211 58,374
1979 56,917 205 56,712
1978 56,517 203 56,314
1977 59,143 179 58,964
1976 59,673 200 59,473
1975 58,415 225 58,190
1974 63,292 185 63,107
1973 62,668 220 62,448
1972 63,790 190 63,600
1971 56,965 194 56,771
1970 46,269 119 46,150
1969 33,803 98 33,705
1968 26,919 66 26,853
1967 18,303 67 18,236
1966 18,267 52 18,215
1965 15,241 34 15,207
1964 12,989 34 12,955
1963 11,782 25 11,757
1962 11,001 24 10,977
1961 9,296 31 9,265
1960 7,256 13 7,243
1959 6,243 10 6,233
1958 5,895 13 5,882
1957 5,495 12 5,483
1956 4,719 8 4,711
1955 4,123 0 4,123
1954 3,976 10 3,966
1953 3,383 8 3,375
1952 3,533 6 3,527
1951 2,982 9 2,973
1950 2,810 8 2,802
1949 2,618 0 2,618
1948 1,882 0 1,882
1947 2,010 0 2,010
1946 1,739 6 1,733
1945 985 0 985
1944 684 0 684
1943 337 0 337
1942 198 0 198
1941 136 0 136
1940 102 0 102
1939 62 0 62
1938 51 0 51
1937 38 0 38
1936 42 0 42
1935 36 0 36
1934 41 0 41
1933 30 0 30
1932 25 0 25
1931 26 0 26
1930 17 0 17
1929 17 0 17
1928 7 0 7
1927 5 0 5
1926 9 0 9
1925 9 0 9
1924 11 0 11
1923 9 0 9
1922 7 0 7
1921 5 0 5
1920 7 0 7
1919 6 0 6

Top States for Jennifer (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 80
16%
TX 72
14%
FL 30
6%
NY 26
5%
GA 26
5%
WA 21
4%
TN 20
4%
PA 19
4%
VA 18
4%
NJ 17
3%
IN 16
3%
MD 16
3%
AL 15
3%
IL 13
3%
SC 13
3%
NC 13
3%
OH 12
2%
AZ 11
2%
OK 11
2%
KY 9
2%
MA 9
2%
WI 9
2%
MI 8
2%
CO 7
1%
UT 6
1%
MN 6
1%
MO 5
1%