Jenny
From Jen + -y, historically as a hypochoristic form of Janet, Jane, etc. but now more often used as a diminutive of Jennifer.
Every Jenny since 1880 — 92,706 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jenny
Jenny is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,503 in 2025 with 142 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 92,706 American babies have been named Jenny. Its peak came in 1977, when 2,700 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jenny stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jenny year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 142 | #1,503 | — | — |
| 2024 | 162 | #1,392 | — | — |
| 2023 | 174 | #1,306 | — | — |
| 2022 | 166 | #1,382 | — | — |
| 2021 | 148 | #1,454 | — | — |
| 2020 | 153 | #1,428 | — | — |
| 2019 | 196 | #1,196 | — | — |
| 2018 | 220 | #1,113 | — | — |
| 2017 | 260 | #997 | — | — |
| 2016 | 235 | #1,095 | — | — |
| 2015 | 281 | #967 | — | — |
| 2014 | 335 | #827 | — | — |
| 2013 | 337 | #804 | — | — |
| 2012 | 308 | #864 | — | — |
| 2011 | 362 | #761 | — | — |
| 2010 | 350 | #787 | — | — |
| 2009 | 406 | #709 | — | — |
| 2008 | 512 | #600 | — | — |
| 2007 | 616 | #514 | — | — |
| 2006 | 667 | #476 | — | — |
| 2005 | 613 | #498 | — | — |
| 2004 | 685 | #447 | — | — |
| 2003 | 709 | #424 | — | — |
| 2002 | 840 | #354 | — | — |
| 2001 | 810 | #367 | — | — |
| 2000 | 828 | #361 | — | — |
| 1995 | 979 | #284 | 10 | #5,685 |
| 1990 | 1,337 | #214 | 11 | #4,825 |
| 1985 | 1,812 | #157 | 10 | #4,188 |
| 1980 | 2,645 | #117 | 18 | #2,666 |
| 1975 | 2,064 | #135 | 8 | #4,107 |
| 1970 | 1,409 | #224 | 7 | #4,030 |
| 1965 | 987 | #275 | 8 | #3,104 |
| 1960 | 1,351 | #235 | 9 | #2,964 |
| 1955 | 759 | #311 | 8 | #3,087 |
| 1950 | 569 | #322 | 7 | #3,173 |
| 1945 | 301 | #413 | 8 | #2,656 |
| 1940 | 238 | #442 | 9 | #2,573 |
| 1935 | 186 | #467 | 8 | #2,820 |
| 1930 | 235 | #438 | — | — |
| 1925 | 201 | #494 | 6 | #3,953 |
| 1920 | 188 | #507 | — | — |
| 1915 | 106 | #641 | — | — |
| 1910 | 41 | #669 | — | — |
| 1905 | 18 | #886 | — | — |
| 1900 | 39 | #546 | — | — |
| 1895 | 23 | #650 | — | — |
| 1890 | 17 | #655 | — | — |
| 1885 | 17 | #529 | — | — |
| 1880 | 13 | #480 | — | — |
Famous people named Jenny
- Jenny Lind Singer · 1820–1887
- Jenny von Westphalen Social activist · 1814–1881
- Jenny Holzer Painter · b. 1950
- Jenny Agutter Actor · b. 1952
- Jenny Shimizu Model · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jenny mean?
From Jen + -y, historically as a hypochoristic form of Janet, Jane, etc. but now more often used as a diminutive of Jennifer.
How popular is the name Jenny in 2025?
Jenny ranked #1,503 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 142 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jenny?
92,706 babies have been named Jenny in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jenny most popular?
Jenny peaked in 1977, when 2,700 newborns received the name.
Is Jenny a boy or girl name?
Jenny is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Jenny rising or falling?
Jenny is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jenny?
Well-known people named Jenny include Jenny Lind (singer), Jenny von Westphalen (social activist), Jenny Holzer (painter).