Namewise

Jennifer vs Taylor

Jennifer and Taylorcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2003, Jennifer was ranked #84 and Taylor #88 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2003, Jennifer was ranked #88 and Taylor #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Jennifer was ranked #354 and Taylor #243 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #384 and Taylor #384 among girls in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Jennifer was ranked #413 and Taylor #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Jennifer was ranked #483 and Taylor #795 among girls in England and Wales.

Jennifer and Taylor over time

Jennifer and Taylor appear together in 5 published lists, across 105 years of shared records. Taylor held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jennifer in 2.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jennifer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Taylor in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2008, Taylor moved ahead of Jennifer in Northern Ireland · Girls — #131 and #139 the year before became #439 and #131.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jennifer and Taylor changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #483 and #795.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jennifer and Taylor were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1993 to 2025, ending at #413 and #443.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Jennifer #54 in 1996, Taylor #103 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 19932025

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Taylor in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #17 in 1994, Taylor #89 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jennifer #413, Taylor #443.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Taylor in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #54 in 1996, Taylor #103 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jennifer #483, Taylor #795.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 19972022

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Taylor in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #55 in 1997, Taylor #74 in 2001.

    The order changed in 2008: Taylor moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #131 and #139; by 2008 that had become #439 and #131.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Jennifer #354, Taylor #243.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 19922003

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Taylor in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #42 in 1992, Taylor #19 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Jennifer #88, Taylor #94.

  • New Zealand · Girls9 shared years, 19942003

    Jennifer held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Taylor in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Jennifer #66 in 1994, Taylor #29 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2003: Jennifer #84, Taylor #88.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jennifer, Taylor
FieldJenniferTaylor
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemaleUsed for both boys and girls
MeaningFrom a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), combining 'gwyn' and 'hwyfar'. Confined mainly to Cornwall until George Bernard Shaw's 1906 play The Doctor's Dilemma sparked wider adoption.Not yet recorded
OriginWelsh, via Cornish transmissionNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪ.fəɹ/Not yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #413 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jennifer has a recorded origin (Welsh, via Cornish transmission); Taylor does not have one recorded yet.
  • Jennifer has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Taylor.
  • A meaning is recorded for Jennifer; Taylor doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Jennifer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #331 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–2003

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–2003).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

Taylor

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1991

    First recorded at #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1992–2010

    Highest recorded position: #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1996 (recorded 1992–2010).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls