Jennifer en · PROPN
Pronunciation
- /ˈd͡ʒɛnɪfɚ/ (General-American)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈd͡ʒɛnɪfə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Cornish Gweniver, from Middle Cornish Gwynnever (cognate with Welsh Gwenhwyfar), from Proto-Brythonic *Gwɨnnohuɨβar. Doublet of Guinevere. Compare Irish Fionnabhair, which may be cognate. The /d͡ʒ/ consonantism is due to Anglo-Norman influence; compare Old French Genievre /d͡ʒəˈniɛ̯vɾə/, /d͡ʒəˈnjɛvɾə/.
Meanings
-
A female given name from Cornish.
Jennifer. Jenny with the light brown hair. Jenny-fair, their high school French teacher had called her, and fair she had been.
2000, Dana Stabenow, Nothing Gold Can Stay, Dutton, →ISBN, page 131:“When it comes to the dry skin, it’s really a matter of that top barrier that’s not holding onto the moisture as well,” said Dr. Jennifer Stein, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health.
2025 February 10, Monica Haider, “Dermatologists share how to treat dry skin”, in CNN:"Most people's sisters have decent names like Jennifer or Jane or something. What did you say hers was?"
1960, Jerrard Tickell, The Hunt for Richard Thorpe, Doubleday, page 10: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.
1906, George Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma, act I:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenipher | alternative | lexicographic | |
| Jenifer | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Bennifer · Jennifer Aniston neuron · Jenessa · Vinnifer · Jennica
Relateds
Jeny (pet forms) · Jenny (pet forms) · Jennie (pet forms) · Jen (pet forms) · Jenni (pet forms) · Ginevra · Jeni (pet forms) · Jena (pet forms) · Gaynor · Guinevere · Jenn (pet forms) · Gweniver · Jenna (pet forms)
Translations (12)
pt Jennifer (female given name) · es Ginebra (female given name) · la Guenevera (female given name) · ru Дже́ннифер (female given name) · ru Дже́ннифер (female given name) · el Τζένιφερ (female given name) · cmn 珍妮弗 (female given name) · chr ᏥᏂᏫ (female given name) · pl Ginewra (female given name) · hu Dzsenifer (female given name) · mr जेनिफर (female given name) · fi Jennifer (female given name)