Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Juniper
Juniper is the latest tree-name-turned-female-name in a long line of forerunners: Myrtle, Hazel, Aspen, Olive, Magnolia, Laurel and Willow just to name a few. An evergreen tree, the name Juniper is borrowed from the Latin “iuniperus” meaning “bearing juniper berries”. However, the word may also be derived from the Latin “junio” related to “youth” and “pario” meaning “to spawn, create” hence the notion of an “ever-green”. The juniper tree has a wide native distribution throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is known for its twisty trunk, green needles, and its production of fragrant bluish berry seeds used as a flavorful spice. The juniper berry was said to restore and increase health; ancient people believed in its cleansing properties and burned the berries to purify homes. Native American Indians used the juniper to treat diabetes. The juniper tree was promoted during the Renaissance as a symbol of purity and chastity as evidenced by Leonardo da Vinci's c. 1474 painting “Ginevra de' Benci”: behind the painting’s female subject stands a juniper tree and on the reverse side is a juniper sprig with the Latin phrase: Virtutem Forma Decorat (“Beauty Adorns Virtue”). You can visit the painting today at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. For Catholics, the name is also closely associated with Saint Juniper, a disciple of St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. We don’t know much about him but he must have been a fun-loving guy. Saint Juniper is known as the “the renowned jester of the Lord” and St. Francis famously quipped, “Would to God, my brothers, I had a whole forest of such Junipers.” Likable, humble, patient, cheerful and devoted, St. Francis referred to St. Juniper as “the perfect friar”. Californians are familiar with the Blessed Junípero Serra, founder of a chain of 21 missions spanning the 500 mile distance from San Diego to Solano, each roughly a day’s walk from the next. Junípero Serra, who took his name from the 13th century saint, is known as The Apostle of California and was beatified in 1988. Aside from the obvious association with the evergreen tree, and the “saintly” connections, Juniper is also considered an Anglicization of the Welsh name Guinevere. Nicknames and pet forms include Joon, June, Juno, Junie, Junebug and Jenny.
All About the Baby Name – Juniper
Personality
OF THE GIRL NAME JUNIPER
The Three energy is powerful and enthusiastic. These personalities are cheerful, full of self-expression, and often quite emotional. They have an artistic flair and "gift-of-gab" that makes them natural entertainers. Their joyfulness bubbles over, and their infectious exuberance draws a crowd. The Three personality is like a child - forever young and full of delight. They are charming, witty, and generally happy people. The Three personality lives in the "now" and has a spontaneous nature. Threes seem to live with a bright and seemingly unbreakable aura that attracts others to them. In turn, they are deeply loyal and loving to their friends and family. Luck also has a tendency to favor number Threes.
Popularity
OF THE GIRL NAME JUNIPER
It appears that Juniper is a female name used only in the United States (although the U.S. tends to influence Canada and Australia eventually). Brand new to the charts, Juniper suddenly appeared at position #970 in 2011. It’s not to say that Juniper hasn’t been used prior, but 2011 marks the first year ever that the name was used with enough frequency to land a spot on the Top 1000 list (meaning at least 250 babies receive this moniker annually now). Aside from the important masculine saints associated with the name Juniper, Americans were introduced to the possibilities of a female Juniper thanks to the 1993 romantic-comedy film “Benny and Joon” in which Mary Stuart Masterson co-stars as the off-beat Juniper “Joon” Pearl. Later in 2005, the Cartoon Network debuted an animated series called “The Life and Times of Juniper Lee” featuring another female character named Juniper – this time a delightful 11-year-old Chinese-American girl with magical powers. Furthermore, as “tree” names come back into vogue, Juniper is a natural addition to the female naming charts. We also think Juniper has some Rugged Wild West flavor thanks to presence of Juniper trees in the Western United States plus the impact Junípero Serra had on early California. The interesting thing about Juniper is that it’s a name that “grows” on you. At first glance there’s a temptation to resist it as yet another arbitrary name invention. But underneath the surface, this is a name that has a lot going for it. There is some natural confusion with Jupiter when you say or spell Juniper, but this may be a burden worth carrying for such an offbeat, quirky name. Since the Juniper tree was also a Renaissance symbol for female virtue, it may be a name to consider for baby girls born under the Virgo sun sign, the sign of the virgin.
Quick Facts
ON JUNIPER
GENDER:
Girl
ORIGIN:
English
NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:
3
RANKING POPULARITY:
648
PRONUNCIATION:
JOON-ә-per
SIMPLE MEANING:
Juniper Tree (an evergreen tree)
Characteristics
OF JUNIPER
