Jennifer
Say it: JEN-i-fer/ˈd͡ʒɛnɪfə/
GirlMeans the Cornish form of Guinevere, whose meaning is debated8 letters3 syllables
#413
in Ireland (2025)
#410 with spellings combined
9
babies in 2025
#4
best rank (1981)
14,809
babies since 1964
Down 230
10-year rank change
Jennifer through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #410 |
| 2024 | 11 | #341 |
| 2023 | 12 | #313 |
| 2022 | 12 | #338 |
| 2021 | 8 | #460 |
| 2020 | 7 | #485 |
| 2019 | 16 | #284 |
| 2018 | 19 | #245 |
| 2017 | 24 | #211 |
| 2016 | 38 | #148 |
| 2015 | 31 | #180 |
| 2014 | 29 | #185 |
| 2013 | 45 | #136 |
| 2012 | 37 | #157 |
| 2011 | 53 | #120 |
| 2010 | 70 | #97 |
| 2009 | 68 | #102 |
| 2008 | 76 | #85 |
| 2007 | 65 | #95 |
| 2006 | 84 | #72 |
| 2005 | 97 | #63 |
| 2004 | 106 | #54 |
| 2003 | 133 | #43 |
| 2002 | 176 | #34 |
| 2001 | 147 | #39 |
| 2000 | 151 | #36 |
| 1999 | 154 | #33 |
| 1998 | 145 | #28 |
| 1997 | 194 | #31 |
| 1996 | 237 | #24 |
| 1995 | 258 | #19 |
| 1994 | 278 | #17 |
| 1993 | 299 | #18 |
| 1992 | 341 | #16 |
| 1991 | 387 | #13 |
| 1990 | 384 | #14 |
| 1989 | 437 | #10 |
| 1988 | 496 | #9 |
| 1987 | 544 | #8 |
| 1986 | 609 | #4 |
| 1985 | 599 | #6 |
| 1984 | 661 | #5 |
| 1983 | 682 | #5 |
| 1982 | 650 | #4 |
| 1981 | 635 | #4 |
| 1980 | 553 | #9 |
| 1979 | 486 | #10 |
| 1978 | 535 | #6 |
| 1977 | 451 | #10 |
| 1976 | 494 | #8 |
| 1975 | 442 | #13 |
| 1974 | 366 | #20 |
| 1973 | 361 | #19 |
| 1972 | 330 | #19 |
| 1971 | 251 | #29 |
| 1970 | 203 | #37 |
| 1969 | 215 | #33 |
| 1968 | 189 | #40 |
| 1967 | 146 | #50 |
| 1966 | 108 | #64 |
| 1965 | 75 | #87 |
| 1964 | 90 | #68 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Jennifer mean?
The Cornish form of Guinevere, whose meaning is debated
Cornish, from Gwynnever, the same name as Welsh Gwenhwyfar and English Guinevere.
Say it right
JENifer
The story of Jennifer
Jennifer is the Cornish form of Guinevere, the name of King Arthur’s queen. It comes from the same old British name as the Welsh Gwenhwyfar. The first part is usually linked to the word for fair or white, and the Irish name Fionnabhair may be a distant relative, but the meaning of the whole name is still debated.
For centuries Jennifer was mostly a Cornish name. In the twentieth century it spread across the English-speaking world, first in Britain in the 1950s and then in the United States, where it was the top girls’ name for much of the 1970s and early 1980s.
Ireland followed the same pattern. Jennifer reached number 4 in 1981, and its busiest year was 1983, when 682 girls were given it. It has fallen a long way since, and in 2025 just 9 girls were named Jennifer, which put it at number 410.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Jennifer (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Jennifer (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
JenJenny
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer | 9 | 14,809 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #55 (1997); 334 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.