Jennifer
WiktionaryText

Etymology


From , from , and ; the Welsh equivalent of the Irish , derived from and .

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


Quotations

  • 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.


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Proper noun



  1. recently borrowed from English.


----

Proper noun



  1. recently borrowed from English.


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Proper noun



  1. recently borrowed from English.
 
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