Origin, Meaning, And History Of Jennifer
The name Jennifer is of Welsh origin and is derived from the name “Gwenhwyfar,” which means “fair one” or “smooth and white.” It also has roots in Cornwall where the name Guinevere is believed to be the source of the name Jennifer, after the wife of King Arthur in the legendary folktale known for her charming beauty. It gained popularity in the English-speaking world in the 20th century. Some spelling variations of Jennifer are ‘Jenifer’ or ‘Jenefer.’ The name means ‘white spirit’ or ‘fair one.’ Some other common variants also include Yenifer (Latin America), Jenifer (English), and Jenifer (Spanish). The name Jennifer also has popular nicknames: Yenny, Jenny, Jen, Jenessa, Jena, Jenae, Jenelle, Jeni, Jenna, Jenn, Jenni, and Jennie.
Guenevere and Gwenhwyfar are some counterparts of this name in Welsh and Arthurian mythology. Meanwhile, it is popular as Dzsenifer in Hungarian, Gaenor or Gaynor in Welsh, Ginevra in Italian, and Guenièvre in French. The pronunciation of the title is JEHN-i-fər.
There are differing interpretations of Queen Guinevere’s attributes in various writings. For example, some paint her as a virtuous lady, while in other variations, she is a flawed character who is unfaithful to her husband. In the pseudo-historical chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae, she was lured by the nephew of King Arthur, Mordred, who waged a rebellion against him.
It is also believed that the name became popular in the English-speaking world after the release of the play “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” in the early 20th century, which featured a character named Jennifer. Another name associated with popularizing this name is Jennifer Jones, a Hollywood starlet who made her first successful film in 1943.
In fiction, Jennifer has been a prominent name. For instance, one of the main characters in Roald Dahl’s book Matilda is Jennifer Honey. She is Matilda Wormwood’s schoolteacher who ultimately adopts Matilda as her child. In addition, Jennifer Scott is one of the team leaders in the action superhero series Power Rangers Time Force. The name also gained popularity from the famous play The Doctor’s Dilemma by George Bernard Shaw, where Jennifer was the main protagonist. And in the 1970 movie “Love Story,” Ali MacGraw played the character of Jennifer Cavalleri, a strong-willed and independent young woman from a wealthy family.
Jennifer
How To Pronounce Jennifer?
The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.
Listen to the sound of the name Jennifer in English.
Famous People With The Name Jennifer
- Jennifer AnnistonAmerican actress known for role in the TV series Friends
- Jennifer LopezAmerican actress and singer
- Jennifer GarnerAmerican actress
- Jennifer BattenFemale American guitarist known to perform on all three world tours by Michael Jackson
- Jennifer GranholmCanadian-American politician
- Jennifer LawrenceAmerican Actress and Golden Globe Awardee
- Jennifer CapriatiAmerican Tennis Player and former world no.1
Jennifer On The Popularity Chart
The popularity of the name Jennifer can be seen as a reflection of changing cultural attitudes and values, as well as the influence of popular media and literature on baby names. Here is a graphic representation of its popularity and ranking over time.
Popularity Over Time
Jennifer was the best-preferred name during the 1980s and early 1990s, with an average of 18,000 titles per million. However, it has declined to an average of 633 per million as of 2021.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
From the pole position ranking till 1984, it remained at the top till the year 1991. For the first time, it fell below the top 100 ranking in the year 2009 and saw a considerable decline. As of 2021, it stayed on the 493rd rank.
Source: Social Security AdministrationJennifer On MomJunction Popularity Chart
Know how popular the name Jennifer is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.
Names With Similar Sound As Jennifer
Jennifer comes in a variety of forms that are all equally popular. If you’re looking for a name with a similar sound, take a look at the list below.
Popular Sibling Names For Jennifer
If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Jennifer, check our suggestions here.
Boy Sibling Names For Jennifer
Find matching brother names for Jennifer and create a wonderful team of siblings.
GiaanveerGianfranco Gianveer Gianvichaar Jahnav Janav Janava Jannavi Janvier Janvijay Girl Sibling Names For Jennifer
Looking for some suitable sister names for Jennifer? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.
JeneeferJenefer Jeniefer Jenifar Jenifer Jeniffer Jenifry Jennefer Jennifar Jenniffer Other Popular Names Beginning With J
Looking for more baby names starting with the letter J to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.
Names With Similar Meaning As Jennifer
If you’re looking for a name that has the same meaning as Jennifer but is distinct. Here are a few recommendations.
Luna Bela Bianca Candace Fiona Gauri Guinevere Ivory Maryam Shweta Arjun Gavin Finn
Popular Songs On The Name Jennifer
Acrostic Poem On Jennifer
Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Jennifer with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?
Joyful soul radiating happiness and a positive outlook.
Eloquent mind blessed with the gift of gab.
Naughty yet nice, you personify that variety is the spice of life.
Nurturing soul, nourished by the nectar of nature.
Illuminating ideas that will inspire the world.
Faithful forever to those near and dear.
Ethereal beauty, one in nature’s symphony.
Royal and regal, you are meant to soar high like an eagle.
Jennifer’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology
Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name Jennifer. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.
Zodiac Sign (Rashi)
As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.
| Rashi (zodiac sign) | Makar (Capricorn) |
|---|---|
| Starting letters for Makar (Capricorn) rashi | KH, J |
| Representation | Crocodile |
| Element | Earth |
| Ruling body | Saturn |
| Quality | Movable |
Birth Star (Nakshatra)
Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.
The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Makar (Capricorn) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.
| Nakshatra | Degrees Of The Nakshatra | Nakshatra Lord (Ruler) | Name Syllables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utharashada (Utharadam) | Capricorn (0 to 10 degrees) | Sun | Be, Bo, Ja, Ji, Bha, Bhe, Bho, Jaa, Jee |
| Sravana (Shravana, Thiruvonam) | Capricorn (10 to 23.20 degrees) | Moon | Ju, Je, Jo, Khi, So, Khu, Khe, Kho |
| Dhanishta (Avittam) | Capricorn (23.20 to 30 degrees) | Mars | Ga, Gi, Gu, Ge, Gee |
Infographic: Know The Name Jennifer‘s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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Jennifer In Different Languages
It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Jennifer in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Jennifer, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!
| Name | Language | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer | English | en |
| 詹妮弗 | Chinese | zh-CN |
| जेनिफर | Hindi | hi |
| Jennifer | Spanish | es |
| Jennifer | French | fr |
| جنيفر | Arabic | ar |
| জেনিফার | Bengali | bn |
| Jennifer | Portuguese | pt |
| Дженнифер | Russian | ru |
| جینیفر | Urdu | ur |
| Jennifer | Indonesian | id |
| Jennifer | German | de |
| ジェニファー | Japanese | ja |
| जेनिफर | Marathi | mr |
| జెన్నిఫర్ | Telugu | te |
| Jennifer | Turkish | tr |
| ஜெனிபர் | Tamil | ta |
| Jennifer | Vietnamese | vi |
| Jennifer | Tagalog | tl |
| 제니퍼 | Korean | ko |
| Jennifer | Hausa | ha |
| Jennifer | Swahili | sw |
| Jennifer | Javanese | jv |
| Jennifer | Italian | it |
| ਜੈਨੀਫਰ | Punjabi | pa |
| જેનિફર | Gujarati | gu |
| เจนนิเฟอร์ | Thai | th |
| ಜೆನ್ನಿಫರ್ | Kannada | kn |
| ጄኒፈር | Amharic | am |
| जेनिफर | Bhojpuri | bho |
| Jennifer | Yoruba | yo |
How To Communicate The Name Jennifer In Sign Languages
In Nautical Flags
jennifer
In Sign Language
jennifer
In Braille Alphabet
jennifer
In Morse Code
jennifer
Name Numerology For Jennifer
Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Jennifer, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.
Baby Name Lists Containing Jennifer
Read through our baby name lists that include the name Jennifer and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?
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Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Jennifer
Discover the presence of Jennifer in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.
| Movie title | Other titles | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| From Jennifer | #FromJennifer, To Jennifer 3, To Jennifer III: From Jennifer | 2017 |
| Jennifer Help Us | 2014 | |
| Target of Opportunity: The US Navy SEALs and the Murder of Jennifer Evans | Sealed Fate | 2011 |
| As Cool as Jennifer: Volume 2 | 2009 | |
| Jennifer's Body | Cheerleader helvetistä, Diabólica tentación, Dženiferas augums, Dženiferes kunas, Garota Infernal, Jennifer tanasi, Jennifer's Body - Bacha, kouse!, Jennifer's Body - Jungs nach ihrem Geschmack, Kana susadım, Le corps de Jennifer, O Corpo de Jennifer, Opasna Dženifer, Ördög bújt beléd, Sức Nóng Jennifer, Telo lepe Jennifer, Tijelo lijepe Jennifer, To kormi tis Jennifer, To soma pou skotonei, Trupul lui Jennifer, Zabójcze ciało, Το σώμα που σκοτώνει, Страстите на Дженифър, Тело Дженнифер, Тіло Дженніфер, 죽여줘! 제니퍼, ジェニファーズ・ボディ, 辣的要命 | 2009 |
| Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston: Hollywood's Couple of the Year | 2000 | |
| A Gun for Jennifer | Ствол для Дженнифер | 1997 |
| Jennifer 8 | Dženifer 8, Gli occhi del delitto, Jennifer, Jennifer - det 8. offer?, Jennifer 8 - A Próxima Vítima, Jennifer 8 ist die Nächste, Jennifer 8 on seuraava, Jennifer 8: Est la prochaine, Jennifer 8: testigo clave, Jennifer Eight, Nạn Nhân Thứ 8, Дженифър 8, Дженнифер 8, Дженніфер 8, ジェニファー8 | 1992 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Jennifer?
The name Jennifer means ‘smooth and white.’
2. What is the origin of the name Jennifer?
Jennifer has a Welsh origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Jennifer?
Jennifer is pronounced as jen-nee-fer.
4. How many different spellings are there for the name Jennifer?
The name Jennifer has multiple variations in spellings, including Jenifer and Jenefer. These alternate spellings provide different options for individuals who prefer a slight variation of the name.
5. What are some possible nicknames for someone named Jennifer?
Some possible nicknames for someone named Jennifer include Yennu, Jen, Jenn, Jenna, Jenni, and Jenny. These nicknames offer a variety of options for individuals to choose from based on their personal preferences and the desired level of familiarity or informality.
6. Does the name Jennifer have any variations or alternative spellings?
The name Jennifer does have variations and alternative spellings. These include Jenifer in English and Spanish and Yenifer in Spanish (Latin American). In different cultures and languages, the name may take on different forms, such as Gwenhwyfar, Guenevere, or Guinevere in Arthurian Romance and Jenifer in Cornish. Additionally, the name can be represented in Finnish by the variations Jenna, Jenni, and Jenny.
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