Jennifer

Jennifer

English

Alternative forms

• Jenifer

Etymology

From Cornish, from Middle Cornish Gwynnever (cognate with Welsh Gwenhwyfar), from Proto-Brythonic *Gwɨnnohuɨβar. Doublet of Guinevere. Compare Irish Fionnbharr, Fionnabhair, which may be cognate.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛnɪfɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛnɪfə/

• Audio (southern England)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Jen‧ni‧fer

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. A female given name from Cornish, Middle Cornish, or Proto-Brittonic.
   • 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, 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
• Gweniver
• pet forms: Jen, Jena, Jeni, Jenn, Jenna, Jenni, Jennie, Jenny, Jeny

Translations

female given name

Finnish: Jennifer (fi) Hungarian: Dzsenifer (hu) Portuguese: Jennifer f Russian: Дже́ннифер (ru) f (Džénnifɛr), Дже́ннифер (ru) f (Džénnifer)

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Cebuano

Etymology

From English Jennifer, from Cornish, from Middle Cornish Gwynnever, from Proto-Brythonic *Gwɨnnohuɨβar.

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. a female given name from English [in turn from Cornish]

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French

Etymology

From English Jennifer in the 20th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒɛ.ni.fɛʁ/, /ʒe.ni.fɛʁ/

Proper noun

Jennifer f

1. a female given name

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German

Etymology

From English Jennifer in the 20th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛnɪfɐ/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Jen‧ni‧fer

Proper noun

Jennifer

1. a female given name

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Swedish

Etymology

From English Jennifer in the 20th century.

Proper noun

Jennifer c (genitive Jennifers)

1. a female given name