Jen
Jen is a feminine given name, frequently a shortened form (hypocorism) of Jennifer, and occasionally a surname. It may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Jen
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jen is a feminine given name, frequently a shortened form (hypocorism) of Jennifer, and occasionally a surname. It may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Jen
As a girl name
Jen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1922, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 14 Jens were born — ranking #3,255 that year. As of 2026, Jen ranks #17,292 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 318 Jens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Jen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1985, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2010, when 17 Jens were born — ranking #5,250 that year. As of 2026, Jen ranks #5,997 for boys with 14 births, with steady use. In total, more than 86 Jens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Jen
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Jen Adams (born 1979), Australian lacrosse coach and former player
- Jen Bartel , American illustrator and comic artist
- Jen Buczkowski (born 1985), American former soccer player
- Jen Button (born 1977), Canadian former swimmer
- Jen DeNike (born 1971), American video and performance artist
- Jen Green (born 1955), British non-fiction author
- Jen Hadfield (born 1978), English poet
- Jen Hoy (born 1991), American soccer player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Jen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jen is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jen
What does the name Jen mean?
How popular is Jen in 2026?
When was Jen most popular?
Is Jen a unisex name?
What names go well with Jen?
About the name Jen
Jen is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1922 and has accumulated 318 births in the dataset. Jen's peak popularity came in 1959 when it ranked #3,255. Use the chart and map above to compare Jen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1959 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.