Jennifer is a feminine given name of Welsh origin. It means "fair lord" or "white wave." The name has been popular in English-speaking countries since the 20th century. In literature, Jennifer was the name of a character in the novel "Jenny Haniver" by H. Rider Haggard, published in 1887. However, it wasn't until the stage adaptation of the novel that the name gained significant popularity. Today, Jennifer remains a popular choice for parents looking to give their daughters a classic yet unique name with a rich history.
From the provided statistics, it's clear that the name Jennifer had a significant period of popularity from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, with the highest number of births recorded in 1971 (194 births). However, this popularity declined significantly over time. By the year 2016, only six girls named Jennifer were born annually. Overall, there were a total of 4836 births for the name Jennifer between 1946 and 2016.