Jennifer

English

Alternative forms

• Jenifer

Etymology

From Welsh Gwenhwyfar, from gwen (“fair, white”), and ghwyf (“smooth”); the Welsh equivalent of the Irish Fionnbharr, derived from Goidelic fionn (“white, fair”) and barr (“head”).

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. A female given name.
   • 1906 George Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma, Act I:

     RIDGEON. Thats a wonderful drawing. Why is it called Jennifer?

     MRS DUBEDAT. My name is Jennifer.

     RIDGEON. A strange name.

     MRS DUBEDAT. Not in Cornwall. I am Cornish. It's only what you call Guinevere.

   • 1960 Jerrard Tickell, The Hunt for Richard Thorpe, Doubleday, page 10:

     "Most people's sisters have decent names like Jennifer or Jane or something. What did you say hers was?"

   • 2000 Dana Stabenow, Nothing Gold Can Stay, Dutton, ISBN 0525945598, page 131:

     Jennifer. Jenny with the light brown hair. Jenny-fair, their high school French teacher had called her, and fair she had been.

Usage notes

The name was mostly used in Cornwall before the 20th century. It became popular in all English-speaking countries, first in UK in the 1950s, and then in US as the top name for women born in 1970-1984.

Related terms

• Gaynor
• Ginevra
• Guinevere
• pet forms: Jeni, Jen, Jennie, Jenny, Jenni, Jeny

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French

Etymology

English, from Cornish

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. A female given name recently borrowed from English.

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German

Etymology

English, from Cornish

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. A female given name recently borrowed from English.

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Swedish

Etymology

English, from Cornish

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. A female given name recently borrowed from English.