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Jennifer (given name)
Encyclopedia
Jennifer is a female
given name
; it became a common first name for females in English-speaking countries during the 20th century. The name Jennifer is a Cornish
variant of Guinevere
, meaning The White Fay or White Ghost (Proto-Celtic *Uindo-seibrā, "white phantom" or "white fairy"; see also Ishara
). Despite the name's similarity to the Old English words jenefer, genefer and jinifer, which were all variants of Juniper
and used to describe the juniper tree, there is no evidence that it was derived from these. Likewise, there is no evidence suggesting a common derivation with the phonetically similar names "Khanifah" in Arabic and "Hanife" in Turkish.
The name has been in use since the 18th century. Before 1906 the name was fairly uncommon, but it became popular after George Bernard Shaw
used it for the main female character in The Doctor's Dilemma. It gained even more popularity in the 1970s. Though its popularity is often attributed to the novel
and film Love Story
, Jennifer was already the number 3 name given to baby girls in the United States
in 1969, the year before the book and movie were released. Jennifer was the single most popular name for American girls from 1970 to 1984. It is also popular for Hispanic
females. Since the early 1990s it has remained common, but considerably less so. Diminutives include Jen
(Jenn), Jenny
(Jennie, Jenni), and Jenna
.
In contrast, "Guinevere
" itself is at present a rather rare first name, considered "old-fashioned" - a fate shared with "Lancelot
" and other Arthurian names (except for that of Arthur
himself, still very common and popular).
The protagonist in the 1938 novel "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
" is very self-conscious about being named "Guinevere", which goes along with her being depicted as an unworldly curate's daughter who wears old-fashioned clothing and is very confused and intimidated by the world of 1930's London.
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
; it became a common first name for females in English-speaking countries during the 20th century. The name Jennifer is a Cornish
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
variant of Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
, meaning The White Fay or White Ghost (Proto-Celtic *Uindo-seibrā, "white phantom" or "white fairy"; see also Ishara
Ishara
Ishara is the Hittite word for "treaty, binding promise", also personified as a goddess of the oath.In Hurrian and Semitic traditions, Išḫara is a love goddess, often identified with Ishtar...
). Despite the name's similarity to the Old English words jenefer, genefer and jinifer, which were all variants of Juniper
Juniper (given name)
The given name Juniper is either in reference to the English common name for the juniper tree or berry, or in reference to a derivation of the Welsh name Guinevere. Juniper has historically been used as both a boys' name and a girls' name...
and used to describe the juniper tree, there is no evidence that it was derived from these. Likewise, there is no evidence suggesting a common derivation with the phonetically similar names "Khanifah" in Arabic and "Hanife" in Turkish.
The name has been in use since the 18th century. Before 1906 the name was fairly uncommon, but it became popular after George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
used it for the main female character in The Doctor's Dilemma. It gained even more popularity in the 1970s. Though its popularity is often attributed to the novel
Love Story (novel)
Love Story is a 1970 romance novel by American writer Erich Segal. The book's origins were in that of a screenplay Segal wrote and was subsequently approved for production by Paramount Pictures. Paramount requested that Segal adapt the story into novel form as a preview of sorts for the film. The...
and film Love Story
Love Story (1970 film)
Love Story is a 1970 romantic drama film written by Erich Segal and based on his novel Love Story. It was directed by Arthur Hiller. The film, well known as a tragedy, is considered one of the most romantic of all time by the American Film Institute , and was followed by a sequel, Oliver's Story...
, Jennifer was already the number 3 name given to baby girls in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1969, the year before the book and movie were released. Jennifer was the single most popular name for American girls from 1970 to 1984. It is also popular for Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
females. Since the early 1990s it has remained common, but considerably less so. Diminutives include Jen
Jen
Jen may refer to:*Ren , a.k.a. Jen, Confucian word for humaneness*Jennifer , diminutive form JenFamous people with this surname*Jen, common of surname Ren, Njim, Nham, Yam, Yum, Yim, Im...
(Jenn), Jenny
Jenny (given name)
Jenny was originally the diminutive form of Jane, but is now associated with Jennifer and Genevieve.It may also be spelled Jenni or Jennie, which was the most common spelling before the 20th century.-Famous people:...
(Jennie, Jenni), and Jenna
Jenna
Jenna is a female given name. In the Western world it is a variation of Jennifer or Genevieve. Jennifer is of English origin and means white. Jenna is also an Arabic name meaning small bird.-Famous people:* Jenna Boyd , film actress...
.
In contrast, "Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
" itself is at present a rather rare first name, considered "old-fashioned" - a fate shared with "Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
" and other Arthurian names (except for that of Arthur
Arthur
Arthur is a common masculine given name. Its etymology is disputed, but its popularity derives from its being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur....
himself, still very common and popular).
The protagonist in the 1938 novel "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a 2008 British/American romantic comedy film directed by Bharat Nalluri. The screenplay by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy is based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Winifred Watson.-Plot:...
" is very self-conscious about being named "Guinevere", which goes along with her being depicted as an unworldly curate's daughter who wears old-fashioned clothing and is very confused and intimidated by the world of 1930's London.
Name variants
- ScotlandScottish languageScottish language can refer to:* Scots language , a West Germanic language spoken in the Lowlands of Scotland and Ulster.* Scottish Gaelic , a Celtic language spoken in the Hebrides and parts of mainland Scotland...
: Jennifer, Jenni, Jeni, Jenna, Jenn. - CornishCornish languageCornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
: Jenifry, Jenniver - CzechCzech languageCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
: JenůfaJenufaJenůfa is an opera in three acts by Leoš Janáček to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the play Její pastorkyňa by Gabriela Preissová. It was first performed at the Brno Theater, Brno, 21 January 1904... - EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Gaenor, Gaynor, Geneva, Gwenevere, Guenevere, Guinevere, GwenovierMagnolia (film)Magnolia is a 1999 American drama film written, produced, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, narrated by Ricky Jay, and starring Tom Cruise, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, and Jason Robards in his last feature film appearance...
, Jenny, Jenneigh, Jennie, Jen, Jeni, Jenni, Jenn, Jenifer - FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Guenièvre, Jennifair, Genevieve - GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Genovefa - ItalianItalian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Genevra, Ginevra, Genoveffa - PolishPolish languagePolish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
: Genowefa, Genia, Gena, Żenia, Żaneta, Ginewra, Żinewra - PortuguesePortuguese languagePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: Genoveva, Ginevra or Genebra - SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Genoveva, Ginevra or Genebra - WelshWelsh languageWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
: Gwenhwyfar