Jennifer

English

Alternative forms

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.

Derived terms

Translations

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]

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

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.

Spanish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English Jennifer.

Pronunciation
 
  • IPA(key): (everywhere but Argentina and Uruguay) /ˈʝenifeɾ/ [ˈɟ͡ʝe.ni.feɾ]
  • IPA(key): (Buenos Aires and environs) /ˈʃenifeɾ/ [ˈʃe.ni.feɾ]
  • IPA(key): (elsewhere in Argentina and Uruguay) /ˈʒenifeɾ/ [ˈʒe.ni.feɾ]

  • Rhymes: -enifeɾ
  • Syllabification: Jen‧ni‧fer

Proper noun

Jennifer f

  1. a female given name

Swedish

Etymology

From English Jennifer in the 20th century.

Pronunciation
  • Audio(file)

Proper noun

Jennifer c (genitive Jennifers)

  1. a female given name
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