Jennifer

Meaning: Possibly white phantom
Origin: Welsh — Cornish form of Guinevere

Nicknames: Jenny, Jennie, Jenna, Jen, Jenn

Girl's name · #586 in the US (2025) · Retro

Popularity over time

Jennifer was #1 back in 1970, spent 15 years as America's #1 name, and stands at #586 today. About 1.5 million girls have carried it since 1919.

Across the states

See where Jennifer is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 34 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Jennifer ranks in other countries and regions.

#116 in Mexico (2024) · #242 in Ecuador (2025) · #242 in Italy (2024) · #413 in Ireland (2025) · #539 in Poland (2025) · #650 in England & Wales (2025) · #845 in Netherlands (2025) · #896 in Canada (2025) · #1,004 in Sweden (2025) · #1,567 in Austria (2025) · #2,161 in Switzerland (2025) · #2,746 in France (2025) and 10 more.

Famous Jennifers

Jennifer Lopez — American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1969)
Jennifer Aniston — American actress (born 1969)
Jennifer Lawrence — American actress and producer (born 1990)
Jennifer Connelly — American actress (born 1970)
Jennifer Garner — American actress (born 1972)
Jennifer Love Hewitt — American actress and singer (born 1979)
Jennifer Jason Leigh — American actress (born 1962)
Jennifer Coolidge — American actress (born 1961)
Jennifer Hudson — American singer and actress (born 1981)
Jennifer Morrison — American actress (born 1979)

In stories & tradition

Jennifer Melfi — Fictional character from The Sopranos
Jennifer (Jade) — Fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics Universe
Jennifer Keller — Stargate Atlantis (TV series)

What Jennifers become

Among 3,742 notable people named Jennifer:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.31× more often than among typical names — e.g. Jennifer Doudna, American biochemist and Nobel laureate (born 1964).

Twin names

A popular twin pairing with Jennifer is Jessica for a girl.

Spellings & nicknames

About 460 girls a year are given Jenna as their full name, 160 Jenny, and 80 Jennie.

Similar names: Juniper · Melissa · Jenny · Kelly · Leslie · Bridget

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service