Jennings is an English surname that grew out of Jenyn, a medieval pet form of John, so it ultimately carries the Hebrew meaning "God is gracious". It belongs to the Southern tradition of family surnames used as first names, in the company of Hayes and Brooks. Jennings has drifted around number 1800 to 2000 since 2018, with a best rank of 1776 in 2021, and stands at number 1841 in 2025.