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Jennifer

♀ Girl

Pronounced JEN-ih-fer /ˈdʒɛn.ɪ.fər/High

Meaning: Cornish form of Guinevere, from Old Welsh Gwenhwyfar, composed of gwen ('white,' 'fair,' 'blessed') and hwyfar ('smooth,' 'phantom,' or 'spirit'), meaning 'white wave' or 'fair spirit'High

In 30 seconds: Jennifer is the Cornish form of Guinevere — Arthurian queen, 'white wave,' and phantom spirit. It dominated U.S. charts for decades and remains a beloved generational classic.
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Origin HighCornish, Welsh
MeaningCornish form of Guinevere, from Old Welsh Gwenhwyfar, composed of gwen ('white,' 'fair,' 'blessed') and hwyfar ('smooth,' 'phantom,' or 'spirit'), meaning 'white wave' or 'fair spirit'
U.S. rank (2025)#586 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births501 girls (0.03% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1972
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,471,692

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197219192025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Jennifer is the Cornish form of the Welsh name Guinevere, from the Old Welsh Gwenhwyfar. The name combines gwen ('white,' 'fair,' 'holy') and hwyfar ('smooth,' 'phantom,' or 'ghost-like spirit'), yielding meanings like 'white phantom' or 'fair spirit.' Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur in British mythology.

Jennifer was little-used outside Cornwall until the 20th century. It spread through English-speaking countries in the 1940s and 1950s, reaching peak dominance as the most popular girls' name in the U.S. from 1970 to 1984. The generation of Jennifers born in that era means the name now carries a distinctive Baby Boomer-Generation X resonance, though it is rising again for the next generation.

Did you know? Jennifer was the #1 girls' name in the United States for 15 consecutive years (1970–1984), making it statistically one of the most dominant name reigns in American history — a record matched by very few names in any era.
Overall data confidence 95%
Behind the Name — Jennifer — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

JenJennyGwenGuinevere

Nicknames

JenJennyJenn

Famous Bearers

  • ★Jennifer Aniston (1969–present)
    American actress, best known for playing Rachel Green on Friends.
  • ★Jennifer Lopez (1969–present)
    American singer, actress, and cultural icon.

If you like Jennifer…

Jessica— fellow 1980s-1990s chart-topper with the same generational classic status
Stephanie— three-syllable feminine classic that shared Jennifer's peak era of popularity
Melissa— 1970s-1980s top-10 name with the same generation-defining resonance
Megan— Welsh-origin girls' name popular in the same generational window

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jennifer mean?

Jennifer is the Cornish form of Guinevere, from Old Welsh Gwenhwyfar meaning 'white wave' or 'fair spirit.'

How do you pronounce Jennifer?

It is said JEN-ih-fer — three syllables with stress on the first.

Is Jennifer a boy or girl name?

Jennifer is exclusively a girls' name.

How popular is Jennifer?

Jennifer was the #1 girls' name in the U.S. for 15 consecutive years (1970–1984) and remains widely recognized today.