Jennifer is a female given name of Welsh origin. It was created by combining the name Guinevere, from the Arthurian legends, with the suffix "fer" meaning "fair". Thus, Jennifer means "fair shadow", or more literally, "the fair one".
The name Guinevere itself comes from the Old Welsh word "gwyn" meaning "white" or "fair", and "gyffen" meaning "smooth", hence the translation as "the white wave".
Jennifer was quite rare until the mid-20th century when it started to gain popularity. It became particularly popular in English-speaking countries during the 1970s and 1980s, reaching its peak in the United States in 1974 where it ranked as the second most popular name for girls that year.
Throughout history, many notable figures have borne this name, including Jennifer Aniston, the American actress known for her role in the television sitcom "Friends", and Jennifer Lawrence, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film "Silver Linings Playbook". However, it's important to note that these individuals are not connected to the origin or meaning of the name itself.
The statistics provided show the annual number of births with the name Jennifer in the United States from 1969 to 1992. During this period, there were a total of 234 babies named Jennifer born in the U.S.
The popularity of the name Jennifer reached its peak in 1980, with 20 births recorded that year. This was followed by another high point in 1983, with 17 births. The years with the lowest number of Jennifer births were 1969 and 1992, each with only 8 births.
Overall, these statistics demonstrate that the name Jennifer was quite popular during this time period, particularly in the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, there were some fluctuations in its popularity over the years.