As an English name, it has been used occasionally since the 12th century. It is the name of a central character in Shakespeare's play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
This name has never been overly common in the Christian world, and it is considered typically Jewish. It was however borne by an 11th-century Hungarian king.
The Cornish form of this name, Jennifer, has become popular in the English-speaking world.
As an English name it can also derive from the month of August, which was named for the Roman emperor Augustus.