Jennifer Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
Cornish
Gender Distribution:
0% Masculine / 100% Feminine
Meaning:
Jennifer means 'fair and smooth'.
Meaning of the Name Jennifer
Jennifer is a Cornish name originally derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, meaning 'fair and smooth'. It became popular in the English-speaking world after the 20th century and is often associated with strong and independent women. The name has ancient Celtic origins and is also associated with the Arthurian legend of Guinevere, the legendary queen of King Arthur. Jennifer is a timeless and popular name that has been used for centuries.
Popularity of the Name Jennifer
The popularity for the name Jennifer peaked in popularity in the year 1972 with 63,602 births, which ranked number 2 out of 14,015 unique names for that year. Jennifer had the most female births in 1972 with 63,602, which ranked number 1 out of 9,663 female names for that year, and had the most male births in 1975 with 225, which ranked number 535 out of 6,335 male names for that year. The number of births for the name Jennifer has declined sharply over the last ten years from 1,930 births to 624 births, a decline of -67.67%. Among males, Jennifer has declined sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 5 births to 0 births, a decline of -100.00%. Among females, Jennifer has declined sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 1,925 births to 624 births, a decline of -67.58%.
Nationwide Popularity of Jennifer
- 20 Year Trend of Jennifer: -92.72%
- 10 Year Trend of Jennifer: -67.67%
- 10 Year Male Trend of Jennifer: -100.00%
- 10 Year Female Trend of Jennifer: -67.58%
Popularity of Jennifer by State
Among females, Jennifer was most popular in Southeastern states with 149 births in the region. It was most commonly used in CA, with 114 female births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Jennifer. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | < 5 | N/A | 8 | 588 |
| AZ | < 5 | N/A | 9 | 688 |
| CA | < 5 | N/A | 114 | 301 |
| CO | < 5 | N/A | 8 | 627 |
| FL | < 5 | N/A | 46 | 420 |
| GA | < 5 | N/A | 18 | 580 |
| IA | < 5 | N/A | 5 | 576 |
| IL | < 5 | N/A | 24 | 434 |
| IN | < 5 | N/A | 11 | 571 |
| KS | < 5 | N/A | 5 | 597 |
| KY | < 5 | N/A | 7 | 564 |
| LA | < 5 | N/A | 7 | 629 |
| MA | < 5 | N/A | 7 | 665 |
| MD | < 5 | N/A | 19 | 300 |
| MI | < 5 | N/A | 8 | 875 |
| MO | < 5 | N/A | 8 | 648 |
| NC | < 5 | N/A | 22 | 482 |
| NJ | < 5 | N/A | 21 | 389 |
| NY | < 5 | N/A | 38 | 448 |
| OH | < 5 | N/A | 25 | 432 |
| PA | < 5 | N/A | 24 | 453 |
| SC | < 5 | N/A | 7 | 610 |
| TN | < 5 | N/A | 15 | 495 |
| TX | < 5 | N/A | 77 | 447 |
| UT | < 5 | N/A | 7 | 525 |
| VA | < 5 | N/A | 19 | 427 |
| WA | < 5 | N/A | 16 | 422 |
| WI | < 5 | N/A | 6 | 712 |
2024 Popularity Projections for Jennifer
- Total Births of Jennifer: 557 (-10.68%) 0
- Female Births of Jennifer: 558 (-10.65%)
Given the downward trend of Jennifer over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a -10.68% decrease in total births, for a total of 557 births in 2024. For Females, births for Jennifer have been decreasing over the past 10 years, and we expect roughly 558 female births in 2024, a decrease of -10.65%.