# Jennifers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831 "2003-03-28T18:08:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/1 "2003-03-28T18:08:48Z")
I want to change my name to Jen or Jennifer. All of the Jens I know seem to have great luck with men. Guys I meet always have the great girlfriend or wife named Jen. It’s also cute (nauseating) when these guys call the girl Jenny. Just thinking about this because this guy I email with for work was just talking about his wife Jen. Sometimes I want the Jens of this world to go away. Is there a name that you’d like to have to improve your luck? This may be the stupidest thread I’ve ever started, anywhere. Oh well.😃 ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/2 "2003-03-28T18:13:35Z")
All I know is that in 1989, when I was a senior in high school, the name Jen was so popular that there were seven of them in my Spanish class of around 20 students. So I guess I have a different experience with Jens. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/3 "2003-03-28T18:27:55Z")
In a high school class of 89 people, we had 8 Jennifers, and many more in the other 3 classes in the school. They were all known by their first and last names, even to their faces. “Hey there Jennifer Clarke! How’s tricks?” “Not too bad. Wanna ride to the party tonight with me and Jennifer Sirrine?” ---
**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/4 "2003-03-28T18:28:21Z")
I like the name Jennifer. But, I think people’s personalities adapt to fit their names, as they’re growing up. (No, I don’t have any damn cites. This is my own home-grown, half-assed theory based purely on my own observations.) So, it may, or may not, fit you. There’s something really disconcerting about meeting a woman with really elegant, refined manners and learning her name is Bertha. Or, Muffy. Conversely, an oil rig worker named Tiffany would seem out of place. No offence intended to any Bertha’s, Muffy’s, or Tiffany’s. I’ve noticed the kind of name pervasion (NOT perversion) you’re referring to, previously. For a while, it seemed like all wives of pro baseball players were name Debbie. Of course, I’m one of 8 Dave’s (I’m D4, if you care) at work, so maybe I notice these things more than some people would. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/5 "2003-03-28T18:28:23Z")
I’m reminded of a New Yorker cartoon of the early 80s. It shows a first grade class lined up for their class picture. The caption was (more or less): “Jennifer, Scott, Jennifer, Jennifer, Scott, Scott, Jennifer, Scott, Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer, Scott, Jennifer, Scot, Scott, Scott, Jennifer. Not pictured: Jennifer, Scott.” ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/6 "2003-03-28T18:28:46Z")
no, I’ve never wanted to change my name to improve my luck. My name is an extremely common name where I come from. The English equivalent of Anne, probably. I used to hate my name with a vengeance. Where I’m living now, though, nobody’s ever heard it before, and I’ve received a lot of compliments about it (a lot of jokes aswell, but all in good humour), so I’ve started to appriciate my name a bit more… you seem to believe that Nomen est Omen, Latin for you are what your name is. For what it’s worth, I don’t particularly like the name Jennifer 🙂 I betcha your name is just fine 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/7 "2003-03-28T18:30:20Z")
I couldn’t change my name to Jen… my SIL is Jennifer as are 5 of my friends… seems I have an exclusive circle of Jennifers… Oh and if you call one of the Jen’s Jenny she will kill you. I actually know none of them like to be called Jenny but she in particular takes offense! We’ve had long rant sessions about some moron or another who deigned to call her Jenny. ---
**Author:** ![TeleTronOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@TeleTronOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeleTronOne)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/8 "2003-03-28T18:35:41Z")
Hmm… a little off topic, but I thought I’d share this. I went to high school with a girl named “Jen”. Not short for Jenny, Jennifer, etc. Just “Jen”. Her last name was “Nee”. This was right after Forest Gump came out. I felt so sorry for her. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/9 "2003-03-28T18:41:53Z")
This won’t answer your question, but here’s an earlier thread on “Jennys:” [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=60383](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=60383) ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/10 "2003-03-28T19:06:50Z")
Of course it seems like all the men are taken by Jennifers. There are so many of them! It was the single most popular name for something like 20 years running before it was finally mercifully edged out by Emily. There is a reason a popular baby naming book was titled _Beyond Jennifer and Jason_. Don’t change your name to Jennifer. Believe me. Don’t. I won’t tell you exactly why I have this strong opinion, but let’s just say **carlotta** is not my real name. That said, there is something to the theory that some names are sexier than others, and there is no doubt that some names are clunkers. For a good idea of some non-Jen options read the above mentioned book. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/11 "2003-03-28T19:14:31Z")
I knew a Jennifer who went by “Nej” (pronounced _nedge_, “Jen” spelled backwards). That was how important it was for her to stand out from the crowd. Nej, if you’re reading this, how’s it goin’, ya’ _freak?_ ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/12 "2003-03-28T19:23:59Z")
I would never change my name. I think it’s just that the Jennifer’s are getting to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/13 "2003-03-28T19:25:34Z")
I have a friend Jennifer. We call her Fuzzy. I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/14 "2003-03-28T19:36:29Z")
Of four Jennifers I can think of, 3 were either really cute or sexy and the fourth was a waste of skin. ---
**Author:** ![jellen92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@jellen92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellen92)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/15 "2003-03-28T19:37:39Z")
My name is Jennifer and it drives me nuts sometimes… I went to camp one year, only to find out 8 of my 14 bunk mates were also “Jen, Jenny, Jennifer…”… and trust me, having the name Jennifer has nothing to do in having an edge on dating… ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/16 "2003-03-28T19:39:56Z")
I do not need to change my name, I am a Jennifer or a Jenn, not Jenny - or (Jenny from the Block). I use to hate my name - cause everyone was named Jennifer when I was born, but I am good with it. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/17 "2003-03-28T19:44:49Z")
In my high school we had the same thing, but with **Jessicas**. There were 4 just on the cheerleading squad (of 12 girls), and countless more in the rest of the school. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/18 "2003-03-28T19:47:20Z")
Then of course there’s my cousin Jennifer. Growing up, we called her **Fennijer**. Pissed her off to no end. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/19 "2003-03-28T19:52:51Z")
I am a Jennifer. I have attempted to go by Jeffie. (Short for Jeffiner.) There is only one person in the world who calls me Jenny on a regular basis. I’m not particularly fond of that version of the name. Also, when I’m a Jenn, I have two n’s. I don’t like “Jen.” My school had a graduating class of about 125. In that group there were five Jennifers. We all went by Jennifer Lastname, as **Motorgirl** described. ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831/20 "2003-03-28T19:54:57Z")
I have a friend Jennifer. (Doesn’t everyone?) Anyway, she doesn’t mind being called Jen, and really doesn’t care to be called Jenny. I think it’s because of some song by Kenny Rogers. The Coward of The County maybe. Anyway, Jenny (in the song) gets raped. So Jennifer doesn’t like to be referred to as Jenny!! 🙂 The one thing I can think of about names is that I’ve never met a Vicky that I liked. For some reason, every woman named Vicky/Vickie that I’ve known has been a real bitch! No offense to any NICE Vickies! I am sure that SOME of you have to be nice!!! hahaha [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jennifers/164831.md?page=2)