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, in turn from Middle Cornish, in turn from Proto-Brythonic]

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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