Jennings
Jennings is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Son of Jenkin (God is gracious).
Origin and history
Jennings originated as an English patronymic surname derived from Jenkin, a medieval diminutive of John. Historically used as a given name in the United States, it has seen a modern resurgence as a traditional surname-turned-first-name.
Popularity in the United States
4,878 babies in the United States have been named Jennings since 1880. It ranks #1747 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1450.
States where it is most popular
- WV (36.8 %)
- NC (19.7 %)
- SC (9.2 %)
- VA (8.2 %)
- TX (7.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 159 |
| 1900-1910 | 107 |
| 1910-1920 | 462 |
| 1920-1930 | 893 |
| 1930-1940 | 600 |
| 1940-1950 | 497 |
| 1950-1960 | 339 |
| 1960-1970 | 223 |
| 1970-1980 | 151 |
| 1980-1990 | 164 |
| 1990-2000 | 155 |
| 2000-2010 | 161 |
| 2010-2019 | 481 |
| 2020-2029 | 486 |
Nicknames
Jen, Jenks
Fun facts
- The root 'Jenkin' was a standard diminutive of John in medieval England, combining 'John' with the Low German diminutive suffix '-kin'.
- Jennings follows a long-standing English-speaking naming tradition of transferring family surnames to given names.