Jennifer Girl

Popularity: #465 · 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.

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. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

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%

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.

YearBirths
2024552
2023584
2022630
2021638
2020712
2019788
2018921
20171,052
20161,162
20151,286
20141,521
20131,692
20121,927
20112,280
20102,622
20092,987
20083,797
20074,653
20065,268
20055,837
20046,545
20037,568
20028,540
20018,921
20009,390
199910,615
199810,692
199711,840
199611,729
199512,683
199414,001
199315,748
199217,819
199120,673
199022,236
198924,004
198827,893
198732,708
198636,189
198542,660
198450,563
198354,355
198257,118
198157,048
198058,378
197956,716
197856,318
197758,964
197659,472
197558,187
197463,106
197362,447
197263,602
197156,771
197046,150
196933,704
196826,851
196718,238
196618,215
196515,206
196412,956
196311,759
196210,977
19619,266
19607,242
19596,232
19585,881
19575,485
19564,710
19554,123
19543,966
19533,375
19523,526
19512,974
19502,802
19492,618
19481,882
19472,010
19461,733
1945985
1944684
1943337
1942198
1941136
1940102
193962
193851
193738
193642
193536
193441
193330
193225
193126
193017
192917
19287
19275
19269
19259
192411
19239
19227
19215
19207
19196