Given name & surname
Jenny
“of the race of women; the white wave”·“one who is fair; a beautiful girl”·“God is gracious”
In English use, Jenny is a nickname for Genevieve. One French interpretation is “of the race of women; the white wave.” In English use, Jenny is a short form of Jennifer. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is fair; a beautiful girl.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Jenny is a nickname for Genevieve. One French interpretation is “of the race of women; the white wave.” In English use, Jenny is a short form of Jennifer. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is fair; a beautiful girl.” In Swedish use, Jenny is a diminutive of Jane. In Hebrew use, Jane carries the interpretation “God is gracious.” In Swedish use, Jenny is a diminutive of Eugenia. In Greek use, Eugenia carries the interpretation “a wellborn woman.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Jenny is a nickname for Genevieve. An origin associated with Genevieve is French. In English use, Jenny is a short form of Jennifer. An origin associated with Jennifer is Celtic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Jenny is used as a shortened form of Jennifer. In medieval use, Jenny was an affectionate form of Jean.
The story
In the Middle Ages, Jenny was used as an affectionate form of Jean.
Jenny through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 92,706
- 605 boys · 92,101 girls
- Most popular year
- 1977
- 2,700 babies
- 2025
- 142
- #1,503 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −26%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 142 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,503 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 25.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,688 in 1977. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (19). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 111,784 as a first name in 2020; 1,170 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Jenny’s family of names
In English usage, Jenny is a diminutive of Jennifer. In English usage, Jenny shares an earlier linguistic root with Janet. In English usage, Jenny has a related form in Jane.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Jenny has relatives in 14 languages.
37 related names in 14 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Genevievefull form · English
- Janefull form · Swedish, English
- Jenniferfull form · English, German
- Jennavariant · English
- Jennievariant · Swedish, English
- Juanitadiminutive · Spanish, English
- Eugeniafull form · Swedish
- Jennivariant · English, Finnish
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 32
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Jessiedoublet · English
- Janelledoublet · English
- Ivankadoublet · English
- Jeanettedoublet · English
- Joaniedoublet · English
- Janetdoublet · English
- Vannadoublet · English
- Jodydoublet · English
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Jandoublet · English
- Sianiequivalent
- Janeydoublet · English
- Jodoublet · English
- Jeannettedoublet · English
- Janinedoublet · English
- Jeaniedoublet · English
- Sineaddoublet · English
- Jeanninedoublet · English
- Shanaedoublet · English
- Jendoublet · English
- Geniequivalent
- Jenyequivalent
- Jinnymogcognate · yol
- Sìneagequivalent · Scottish Gaelic
- Tzeniequivalent
- Xeniequivalent
- Zhenniequivalent
- JuaniSpanish
- Дже́нниRussian
- 제니Korean
- ジェニーJapanese
- 珍妮Mandarin
- جِينِيArabic
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Jenny
- Jenny SlateAmerican actress and comedian (born 1982)
- Jenny LindSwedish opera singer (1820–1887)
- Jenny ShipleyNew Zealand politicianborn 1952
- Jenny McCarthyAmerican actress, model, activist, television personality and authorborn 1972
- Jenny AgutterBritish film and television actress (born 1952)
- Jenny ErpenbeckGerman opera director and writer (born 1967)
- Jenny von WestphalenGerman theatre critic and political activist (1814–1881)
- Eleanor MarxEnglish writer, translator, activist, and daughter of Karl Marx (1855–1898)
- Jenny HanAmerican writer (born 1980)
Characters named Jenny: Jenny Humphrey (fictional character), Jenny Everywhere (open-source fictional character), Jenny Schecter (the television series The L Word).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jenny, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Jessi
“gift” · “God exists; a gift from God; God sees all”
7% boys · 93% girls
Lani
“from the sky; one who is heavenly” · “a servant”
1% boys · 99% girls
Janna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Jamila
“a beautiful and elegant lady”
>99% girls
Rani
“a lovely singer; a queenly woman”
14% boys · 86% girls
Jolene
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% girls
Joi
“a delight; one who brings pleasure to others”
>99% girls
Jenifer
“one who is fair; a beautiful girl”
>99% girls