Jennifer is a popular given name of English origin that has gained prominence worldwide over the years. It is derived from the Welsh name Guinevere, which is composed of the elements "gueni" meaning fair or white and "gwen" meaning joy or bliss. Therefore, Jennifer can be interpreted to mean "fair and joyful," suggesting a pleasant and charming individual.
The name Guinevere was originally associated with Queen Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur in the legendary tales of Camelot. However, it was not commonly used as a given name until the late 1930s when American actress Jennifer Jones rose to fame. Her successful film career popularized the name Jennifer, and it became increasingly popular among parents during the 1940s and 1950s.
Throughout the decades, Jennifer has maintained its status as one of the most popular names for girls in various English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. According to data from the Social Security Administration, Jennifer was consistently among the top ten most popular names for girls between 1970 and 2007.
The popularity of Jennifer has also extended beyond the English-speaking world, with notable bearers of this name found in countries like Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and even Japan. Some famous individuals named Jennifer include American actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Jennifer Aniston, Canadian singer-songwriter Jennifer Hawkins, and British model and TV personality Jennifer Ellison.
In summary, the name Jennifer is of Welsh origin and carries a positive meaning of "fair and joyful." Its popularity can be attributed to the successful career of actress Jennifer Jones during the mid-20th century. Today, it remains one of the most widely recognized and beloved names for girls around the world.
The name Jennifer has been a popular choice for parents in the United States since its rise to prominence in the mid-20th century. According to Social Security data, here's an overview of how many girls named Jennifer were born each year:
From 1919 to 1937, fewer than 50 Jennifers were born annually. However, starting from 1938, the number began to increase steadily:
- In 1946, there were 1,733Jennifer births.
- By 1952, this number had reached 3,526.
- The name Jennifer peaked in popularity between 1968 and 1970 with over 45,000 births each year.
The name remained quite popular throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, with over 50,000 births annually. But as other names started to gain popularity, Jennifer began to decline:
- In 1990, there were still around 22,000 Jennifer births.
- By the year 2000, this number had dropped below 10,000.
The popularity of the name Jennifer continued to decrease in the following decades. As of 2022, fewer than 600 girls were named Jennifer at birth each year in the United States.
In total, over 1.47 million girls named Jennifer have been born in the United States since Social Security records began tracking names in 1919. The name Jennifer was popular for several decades and reached its peak during the late 1960s to early 1970s. Despite its decline in recent years, Jennifer remains a classic and timeless name choice for many parents.