Jennifer
Girl name · #586 in 2025 · Rare
In 2025, 501 baby girls were named Jennifer, placing it at #586 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #251, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,593 girls born in 2025 was named Jennifer.
Babies named Jennifer per year. Source: SSA.
The 106-year story
Jennifer first appears in the Social Security records in 1919, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1972, when 63,600 girls were named Jennifer — good for #1 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jennifer against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jennifer in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jennifer is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jennifer will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jennifer is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jennifer is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Jennifer is most common in SC (0.7 per 1,000), IN (0.6 per 1,000), WI (0.5 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000), CA (0.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jennifer is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Jennifer
Jennifer carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Jennifer family went to about 643 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #479, versus #586 for Jennifer alone.
Names like Jennifer
Statistically, parents drawn to Jennifer tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Heather, Michelle, Melissa, Bridget, and Angela.
HeatherMichelleMelissaBridgetAngelaVeronicaAprilTara
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jennifer | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 501 | #586 |
| 2024 | 556 | #544 |
| 2023 | 586 | #520 |
| 2022 | 630 | #501 |
| 2021 | 638 | #493 |
| 2020 | 713 | #431 |
| 2019 | 788 | #390 |
| 2018 | 921 | #344 |
| 2017 | 1,052 | #309 |
| 2016 | 1,162 | #272 |
| 2015 | 1,286 | #251 |
| 2014 | 1,521 | #222 |
| 2013 | 1,692 | #192 |
| 2012 | 1,928 | #164 |
| 2011 | 2,281 | #134 |
| 2010 | 2,622 | #121 |
| 2009 | 2,987 | #110 |
| 2008 | 3,797 | #84 |
| 2007 | 4,653 | #64 |
| 2006 | 5,268 | #51 |
| 2005 | 5,837 | #42 |
| 2004 | 6,545 | #39 |
| 2003 | 7,569 | #31 |
| 2002 | 8,540 | #28 |
| 2001 | 8,923 | #26 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Jennifer a popular girl name?
Jennifer ranked #586 among girls in 2025 with 501 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #251.
When was the name Jennifer most popular?
Jennifer peaked in 1972, when 63,600 American girls received the name (ranked #1 that year). Since 1972 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jennifer?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,593 newborn American girls was named Jennifer. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.