Jennifer
Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
- English
- German
- Dutch
- Swedish
Meaning & Origin of Jennifer
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- German
- Dutch
- Swedish
- Spanish
The Story of Jennifer
Jennifer first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1919, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1972, when 63,602 Jennifers were born — ranking #1 that year. As of 2026, Jennifer ranks #583 for baby girls with 520 births, falling sharply (-31%). In total, more than 1.5M Jennifers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Jennifer
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Jennifer. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Where is Jennifer most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- Nigeria29%
- China24%
- GH22%
- United States15%
- TW10%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Jennifer
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jennifer 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 Jennifer
What does the name Jennifer mean?
What is the origin of the name Jennifer?
How popular is Jennifer in 2026?
When was Jennifer most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jennifer most popular?
Is Jennifer a unisex name?
What names go well with Jennifer?
What are nicknames or variants of Jennifer?
About the name Jennifer
Jennifer is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1919 and has accumulated 1.5M births in the dataset. Jennifer's peak popularity came in 1972 when it ranked #1. Use the chart and map above to compare Jennifer's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1972 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.