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Help[Opinions] Jennifer
I have to admit I kind of enjoy the name Jennifer. Only in its full form, though. I hate Jen or Jenny/Jennie. I just like to say Jennifer. I think it's pretty. What do you think? Too dated or still usable now that it's not as common anymore?
Oh and the reason why I dislike Jenny is because ALL Jennifers I've ever met went by Jenny ALL of the time. I've never met a Jennifer who went by Jennifer they all went by Jenny (all of the German ones) and Jen (the American ones). So Jennifer sounds fresh to me, actually.
How many do you know? Was it very common? Did any go by their full name?
Oh and the reason why I dislike Jenny is because ALL Jennifers I've ever met went by Jenny ALL of the time. I've never met a Jennifer who went by Jennifer they all went by Jenny (all of the German ones) and Jen (the American ones). So Jennifer sounds fresh to me, actually.
How many do you know? Was it very common? Did any go by their full name?
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I was Jennifer until my sister was born. Then, my dad decided that I should go by a nn to, since Susan was automatically Suzy. I was one of 6 Jennifers in my class. My mn is Marie, which makes my situation worse. I was one of two Jennifer Danielses in my university. My cousin's wife is Jennifer Marie also, and that cousin's cousin on the other side of the family is Jenny (legal name, not just her nn). My aunt therefore has always called me Jennifer, and rarely says Jenny for me. But, it isn't common for newborns right now, so you'll avoid the confusion of too many girls with the same name. I think it is dated, but if it was usable then, it's usable now.
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I like Jennifer. I asked for opinions on it once, and almost everyone said Guinevere or Genevieve were better options, but I think Jennifer still maintains its medieval flair while functioning as a modern name. I don't think the others can do that.
I did know a lot of them growing up, but the popularity has dropped considerably since then. In a few more years, hearing the name Jennifer in a crowded supermarket might actually be refreshing. You never know.
I did know a lot of them growing up, but the popularity has dropped considerably since then. In a few more years, hearing the name Jennifer in a crowded supermarket might actually be refreshing. You never know.
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My sister is named Jennifer and she was born in the early 70s. I've only ever called her Jennifer and that's the name she prefers to be called; only a few family members call her Jenny and she may answer to Jen occassionally.
I was born in the early 80s and I went to school with MANY Jennifers, Jennys, and Jens. There were probably 5 or 6 in my class of 180. Jennifer is like Michael to me. It's a name I don't "hear" anymore because its so common among my age group. I can't tell you how many Jennifer's I know in adulthood but it's probably over a dozen.
An old boss of mine is in his early thirties and named his daughter Jennifer -- she'd be about 4 or 5 now I think. When I first heard her name, I told him not many girls were named Jennifer anymore. It seemed particularly odd to me because every other girl being born was named Madison, Makayla or Jordan.
I was born in the early 80s and I went to school with MANY Jennifers, Jennys, and Jens. There were probably 5 or 6 in my class of 180. Jennifer is like Michael to me. It's a name I don't "hear" anymore because its so common among my age group. I can't tell you how many Jennifer's I know in adulthood but it's probably over a dozen.
An old boss of mine is in his early thirties and named his daughter Jennifer -- she'd be about 4 or 5 now I think. When I first heard her name, I told him not many girls were named Jennifer anymore. It seemed particularly odd to me because every other girl being born was named Madison, Makayla or Jordan.
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I've known quite a few, mostly English and American, and all around my age or slightly older or younger (I'm 30). Indeed most of them went by Jenny or Jen. The ones who went by Jennifer were not in English-speaking countries.
I think this name will become very dated and needs a long, long rest. And even if the full form of the name isn't so common, I know all the Jen and Jenny are really Jennifer, so the full form feels just as boring.
I think this name will become very dated and needs a long, long rest. And even if the full form of the name isn't so common, I know all the Jen and Jenny are really Jennifer, so the full form feels just as boring.
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I like to say Jennifer too, and even though it's one of the most heard names ever to me, I don't mind it. But it definitely doesn't seem fresh or exciting. It seemed like every other girl my age was named Jennifer, and there are plenty a bit older than me too. I mean, it was ranked #1 from 1970-1984, and in the Top 10 from 1966-1991.
Most of the ones I've known have gone by Jen(n), some by Jenny, and I think a few Jennas, although their full name could've been Jenna I guess. A few went by just Jennifer, but I don't think any insisted on it.
Most of the ones I've known have gone by Jen(n), some by Jenny, and I think a few Jennas, although their full name could've been Jenna I guess. A few went by just Jennifer, but I don't think any insisted on it.
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In my generation, it was not common at all. There was one Jennifer in my high school of about 750.
Now starting about ten years after I was born, it began to become very popular, as is commonly known. I believe it was the number one name for quite a few years.
Let me see...there was the Jennifer I went to high school with, back in the mid-70's my sister had a friend who named her baby Jennifer, a few years later in the early 80's she had another friend whose little girl was named Jennifer, my husband and I had friends who named their baby Jennifer in 1984, and my daughter had a childhood friend named Jennifer in the late 80's. I guess that makes five.
The high school Jennifer went by her full name, as did my daughter's childhood friend. The others I am not sure about.
Just judging the name by its own merits, leaving aside issues of popularity, I think it's just an okay name. I like the first syllable, but don't care much for the "fer" ending. I feel the opposite of you in that I like the nickname Jenny more than the full form Jennifer.
By taking into consideration other issues, to me, it was so mega-popular in my youth that I will always consider it to be unimaginative and to consider anyone who uses it to be following a herd mentality and not caring if their daughter gets lost in a crowd. I will always have that image of it, even though it's no longer as popular as it once was. I remember back in 1984, when my husband and I received the birth announcement from our friends stating that they had named their daughter Jennifer, I rolled my eyes and said, "Come on. Couldn't they have put a little more thought into it?" That will always be my reaction.
Now starting about ten years after I was born, it began to become very popular, as is commonly known. I believe it was the number one name for quite a few years.
Let me see...there was the Jennifer I went to high school with, back in the mid-70's my sister had a friend who named her baby Jennifer, a few years later in the early 80's she had another friend whose little girl was named Jennifer, my husband and I had friends who named their baby Jennifer in 1984, and my daughter had a childhood friend named Jennifer in the late 80's. I guess that makes five.
The high school Jennifer went by her full name, as did my daughter's childhood friend. The others I am not sure about.
Just judging the name by its own merits, leaving aside issues of popularity, I think it's just an okay name. I like the first syllable, but don't care much for the "fer" ending. I feel the opposite of you in that I like the nickname Jenny more than the full form Jennifer.
By taking into consideration other issues, to me, it was so mega-popular in my youth that I will always consider it to be unimaginative and to consider anyone who uses it to be following a herd mentality and not caring if their daughter gets lost in a crowd. I will always have that image of it, even though it's no longer as popular as it once was. I remember back in 1984, when my husband and I received the birth announcement from our friends stating that they had named their daughter Jennifer, I rolled my eyes and said, "Come on. Couldn't they have put a little more thought into it?" That will always be my reaction.
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