The meaning of the name “Jennifer” is different in several languages, countries and cultures and has more than one possibly same or different meanings available.
Additional information: Jennifer is taken from a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. This was largely a regional name. It became widespread outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was taken up in GeorgeBernard Shaw's play 'The Doctor's Dilemma' (1906). Thus it became a popular first name for girls in English-speaking countries during the 20th century.
The name is a Cornish derivation of Guinevere, which is taken from the Welsh word Gwenhwyfar which means "white enchantress" or "the fair one".
The name is borne by popular celebrities like Jennifer Aniston - American actress, Jennifer Lopez - American singer/actress , Jennifer Love Hewitt - American actress, star player Jennifer Kessy and athlete Jennifer Capriati to name a few.
The year when the name Jennifer was most prevalent was 2001. It joined the US top 1000 names in 1938. For 2014, the number of births with name Jennifer represented 0.078 percent of total female births in U.S for the year. Since the beginning in 1970, Jennifer was the favorite female baby name in the U.S., a position it held for straight 14 years. In 2006 it was the 51st most popular name in America.
Jennifer Ingrum is a character which appeared as a bridesmaid and a roommate in ‘Mostly True Stories: Urban Legends Revealed’, an American docudrama inspired by popular regional stories.
Other cool spellings for the name are Jenifer, Yenifer, Gennyphir, Gennifer, Ginnifer, Jennipher, and Genifer.
Pronunciation: (JEN iff er) Form of:Gwenhwyfar Celebrity Names & Famous real-life people:
Jennifer Lawrence, American actress
Jennifer Lopez, American actress, author, fashion designer, dancer, producer, singer, and songwriter
Jennifer Garner, American actress
Jennifer Aniston, American actress
Jennifer Connelly, American actress
English comedian, screenwriter and actress
Jennifer Love Hewitt, American actress, producer, author, television director and singer-songwriter
Jennifer Capriati, tennis player.
Considering Jennifer as a Baby Name?
The first thing you should know if you are considering Jennifer for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Jennifer is a girl name.
The name Jennifer is of Welsh origin, and is used mostly in English speaking countries but also in a few other countries and languages of the world.
If you consider naming your baby Jennifer we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Jennifer Name Meaning
The meaning of Jennifer has more than one different etymologies. It has same or different meanings in other countries and languages. The different meanings of the name Jennifer are:
American meaning: White wave
Celtic - Gaelic meaning: White wave
Welsh meaning: Fair and soft
Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Jennifer and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Jennifer and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Jennifer is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
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Name Jennifer Categories
The name Jennifer is in the following categories: American Names, Celebrity Names, Celtic Names, Classic Names, Cornish Names, English Names, Movie Star Names, Old English Names, Popular Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Jennifer. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Jennifer, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Jennifer
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Jennifer displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Jennifer Boy Name Popularity Chart
Jennifer Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
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Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
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