Name Interview with Jennifer

A close-up of Lancelot and Guinevere by Herbert James Draper

What is your name? (Include middle if you like) Jennifer Lynn 

What decade were you born in? 70's 

How did you get your name? After actress Jennifer O'Neil  

How did you feel about your name growing up? I wanted to be named Diana 

How do you feel about your name now? Don't mind it at all 

If you have any kids, how did you choose their name(s)? Gabriel (Gabe) after his dad (not my choice) & Alena after my grandma but with an "a" in front 

What is the name of your best friend? I have 3 - Lisa, Michelle & Cristina 

What are some common names for your age group? Laura, Michelle, Lisa 

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? Idk when I was a kid I wanted it to be Diana? Now I don't really care 

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites? Idk I don't like names spelled completely different than they sound

I thought it would be fun to start my interviews with someone named Jennifer because I heard this name was so popular at one time that some Jennifer's "lost their identity" and joined "Jennifer Support Groups." I, personally, only know three Jen's, so I can't say how true that is, as they all like their name and haven't had any issues with it.

Jennifer is the Cornish variant of Guinevere, Queen of Arthurian legend. Her name means "fair and smooth," Another actress to popularize the name (as she mentioned Jennifer O'Neil above) was Jennifer Jones. Currently, there are at least four A-list celebrities named Jennifer - surnames, Lopez, Garner, Anniston and Connelly. An early literary usage of the name was in Bernard Shaw's "The Doctor's Dilemma" in 1905. Guinevere is now on the rise, with 99 births last year.

Elowen

Elowen is a recent Cornish baby name meaning "elm." It may not take off in America like the last Cornish hit, Jennifer, but it's certainly pretty. She's part of a "linguistic revival," as Appellation Mountain puts it here. Her nickname could be Ellie, Elle or Ella, or a more unusual choice, Wendy. The pronunciation of Elowen is "ell-LOH-en," though most Americans will probably stick with "ELL-oh-wen." Please note that it is not spelled Elowyn. There is a similar name, Eowyn, but if you spell it Elowyn it will no longer be the Cornish name meaning elm tree, just some creative name.

Other great Cornish names include Penrose, Chesten (the Cornish form of Christine), Demelza, Denzel, Hammitt, Kerensa/Kerenza, Meraud (very similar to French gem name Emeraude, both meaning emerald, but Meraud is pronounced "meh-row"), Merryn, Morwenna, Tremain, Emblyn, Jory, Massen, Treeve and Cotton. Here's's a link to a post on Cornish names that includes Cornish saints and word names.