Jennifer
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Cornish, from Middle Cornish Gwynnever (cognate with Welsh Gwenhwyfar), from Proto-Brythonic *Gwɨnnhuɨβar, from Proto-Celtic *Windosēbaris (“white spirit”).
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈdʒɛnɪfɚ/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈdʒɛnɪfə/
- Hyphenation: Jen‧ni‧fer
Proper noun
Jennifer
- A female given name.
- 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.
- 1906 George Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma, Act I:
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.
Cebuano
Etymology
From English Jennifer, from Cornish, from Middle Cornish Gwynnever (cognate with Welsh Gwenhwyfar), from Proto-Celtic *Windosēbaris (“white spirit”).
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ʒɛ.ni.fɛʁ/
German
Swedish
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