Juniper (given name)
Encyclopedia
The given name
Juniper is either in reference to the English common name for the juniper tree or berry, or in reference to a derivation of the Welsh name Guinevere. Juniper has historically been used as both a boys' name and a girls' name. Juniper has never been on the top 1000 list of given names in the United States but is an increasingly popular girls name likely due to the popularity of a wide assortment of well-known fictional works, including the cartoon series The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
, the movie Benny and Joon (where the Joon character was short for Juniper), and Pamela Dean
's novel Juniper, Gentian and Rosemary.
The Juniper tree's name is derived from the Latin word juniperus. In Latin, juniperus is combination of the word junio, which means young, and parere, to produce, hence youth producing, or evergreen. Ginepro (Italian for Juniper), Ginevra (Italian variant form of Juniper), and Ginny are other names that also refer to the Juniper tree.
Juniper is used to flavour the alcoholic spirit gin
. The traditional drink jenever
and its French name genièvre are names for juniper. The French name was shortened to geneva, sounding the same as the place name, and further abbreviated to 'gin'.
In some French dialects, the plant is known as geneviève. This is also a French given name, notably that of Sainte Genevieve
, patron saint of Paris. However, this name was derived from Latin Genovefa for Germanic Kenowefa (like English kin and wife) and originally had no link with genièvre (French for "juniper"), which is not a female first name. Another name which was originally unrelated is the British name Guinevere (Guenièvre in French), a variant Old French spelling of Gwenhwyfar, which in Welsh is a combination of the word gwen (mod. gwyn) which means "white" or "fair" and hwyfar which means a "spirit" or "fairy". This is also the origin of Jennifer
, another name that sounds similar to Juniper. Because the Latin Juniperus family of names are the same or very similar sounding to the Welsh Guinevere family of names, it is very difficult to determine, for names that begin with gin-, jen-, or jun-, which family they ultimately originated with.
Fictional characters
Fictional characters
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
Juniper is either in reference to the English common name for the juniper tree or berry, or in reference to a derivation of the Welsh name Guinevere. Juniper has historically been used as both a boys' name and a girls' name. Juniper has never been on the top 1000 list of given names in the United States but is an increasingly popular girls name likely due to the popularity of a wide assortment of well-known fictional works, including the cartoon series The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
The Life and Times of Juniper Lee was an American animated television series, created by Judd Winick and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. The show premiered on Cartoon Network on May 30, 2005. The series ended on April 9, 2007...
, the movie Benny and Joon (where the Joon character was short for Juniper), and Pamela Dean
Pamela Dean
Pamela Dean Dyer-Bennet is an American fantasy author whose most notable book is Tam Lin, based on the Child Ballad of the same name, in which the Scottish fairy story is set on a midwestern college campus loosely based on her alma mater, Carleton College in Minnesota.She was a member of the...
's novel Juniper, Gentian and Rosemary.
The Juniper tree's name is derived from the Latin word juniperus. In Latin, juniperus is combination of the word junio, which means young, and parere, to produce, hence youth producing, or evergreen. Ginepro (Italian for Juniper), Ginevra (Italian variant form of Juniper), and Ginny are other names that also refer to the Juniper tree.
Juniper is used to flavour the alcoholic spirit gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
. The traditional drink jenever
Jenever
Jenever , is the juniper-flavored and strongly alcoholic traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium, from which gin evolved...
and its French name genièvre are names for juniper. The French name was shortened to geneva, sounding the same as the place name, and further abbreviated to 'gin'.
In some French dialects, the plant is known as geneviève. This is also a French given name, notably that of Sainte Genevieve
Genevieve
St Genevieve , in Latin Sancta Genovefa, from Germanic keno and wefa , is the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition...
, patron saint of Paris. However, this name was derived from Latin Genovefa for Germanic Kenowefa (like English kin and wife) and originally had no link with genièvre (French for "juniper"), which is not a female first name. Another name which was originally unrelated is the British name Guinevere (Guenièvre in French), a variant Old French spelling of Gwenhwyfar, which in Welsh is a combination of the word gwen (mod. gwyn) which means "white" or "fair" and hwyfar which means a "spirit" or "fairy". This is also the origin of Jennifer
Jennifer (given name)
Jennifer is a female given name; it became a common first name for females in English-speaking countries during the 20th century. The name Jennifer is a Cornish variant of Guinevere, meaning The White Fay or White Ghost...
, another name that sounds similar to Juniper. Because the Latin Juniperus family of names are the same or very similar sounding to the Welsh Guinevere family of names, it is very difficult to determine, for names that begin with gin-, jen-, or jun-, which family they ultimately originated with.
Common nicknames of Juniper
- Ginny: The name for the spirit gin is an English derivation of the Dutch word for Juniper: genever. This nickname is either in reference to gin, or similarly, when something is said to taste like Juniper berries, it is said to be "ginny" tasting.
- Jenny: More so in England, where in some places it is pronounced "jenny-per."
- June or Joon: The most common nickname for Juniper.
- Junie
- Juno
- Nip or Nipper: While the origin of the usage of "nip" to refer to a drink or a glass of an alcoholic beverage actually comes from the rare term nipperkin [small measure], a folk etymology has that it originally referred to a nip of gin, with the "nip" being a shortening of Juniper.
Symbolism of the name Juniper
- Succor: In the Bible's Old Testament, a juniper tree with an angelic presence sheltered the prophet Elijah from Queen Jezebel's pursuit. Similarly, a later apocryphal biblical tale tells of how the infant Jesus and his parents were hidden from King Herod's soldiers by a juniper during their flight into Egypt.
- During the Renaissance, Juniper was frequently used in art to represent chastity. For example, in Leonardo da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci, not only was the subject named Juniper (in Italian Ginevra is Juniper), but directly behind the portrait is a Juniper tree. The reverse of the portrait is decorated with a juniper sprig encircled by a wreath of laurel and palm and is memorialized by the phrase VIRTUTEM FORMA DECORAT ("Beauty adorns Virtue").
- Saint Juniper, "the jester of the Lord" is sometimes called the Saint of comedy. He was also known for his patience-- it is said that St. Francis once described the perfect friar by citing "the patience of Brother Juniper, who attained the state of perfect patience because he kept the truth of his low estate constantly in mind, whose supreme desire was to follow Christ on the way of the cross." St. Frances held Juniper in such high regard he once said, "Would to God, my brothers, I had a whole forest of such Junipers."
- In many parts of Europe, juniper branches were smoldered and carried around fields to protect livestock and a female spirit of the Jupiter tree, called Frau Wachholder was invoked to make thieves return the goods they had stolen. *In ancient Wales, the Juniper tree was sacred and it was believed that cutting down a Juniper tree would result in the woodcutter's death the following year.
- The Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginianaJuniperus virginianaJuniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
) is used to make wooden pencils and is the "cedar" used in moth-repelling cedar chests and drawers. - The Juniper Berry is used as a distinct flavoring for a wide variety of dishes and beverages.
- One of the most famous Grimm Fairy Tales is "The Juniper Tree." In the story a mother is buried under a Juniper Tree, magically becomes part of the tree and a bird that was hatched in the tree, and avenges the death of her son when the bird drops a millstone and kills her son's stepmother.
Notable persons with given name Juniper
- Juniper SageMargaret Wise BrownMargaret Wise Brown was a prolific American author of children's literature, including the books Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, both illustrated by Clement Hurd.-Biography:...
, pen-name of author Margaret Wise Brown - Juniper Serra, "Apostle of California," beatified in 1988 by Pope John Paul II (final step before sainthood)
- Juniper ShueyJuniper ShueyJuniper Shuey is a Seattle, Washington-based visual artist, known for his video installations and sculptural performance. Since establishing himself in the late 90's he has gained a professional reputation for his works.- Background and Recognition :...
, artist - Saint Juniper (d. 1258), a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi
Fictional characters
- Brother Juniper, main character in Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1927 novel The Bridge of San Luis ReyThe Bridge of San Luis ReyThe Bridge of San Luis Rey is American author Thornton Wilder's second novel, first published in 1927 to worldwide acclaim. It tells the story of several interrelated people who die in the collapse of an Inca rope-fiber suspension bridge in Peru, and the events that lead up to their being on the...
and its film versions - Brother Juniper, title character in nationally syndicated comic strip that ran from 1958-1989 by Fred McCarthy (as Father Justin McCarthy)
- Juniper GreenJuniper GreenJuniper Green is a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 9 kilometres south west of the city centre. It bridges the city bypass, and extends along the foothills of the Pentlands. It is bordered by Colinton to the east and Currie to the south-west. Administratively, Juniper Green...
character in the 1920s Catherine Chisholm musical "Lassie" - Juniper "Junie" B. Jones, the title character in the Junie B. JonesJunie B. JonesJunie B. Jones is a children's book series written by Barbara Park and illustrated by Denise Brunkus. The story is written in Junie B.'s perspective.-Characters:Junie Beatrice "Junie B." Jones...
children's books - Juniper Lee, the title character in the cartoon series The Life and Times of Juniper LeeThe Life and Times of Juniper LeeThe Life and Times of Juniper Lee was an American animated television series, created by Judd Winick and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. The show premiered on Cartoon Network on May 30, 2005. The series ended on April 9, 2007...
- Juniper (Joon) Pearl, one of two title characters from the 1993 movie Benny & JoonBenny & JoonBenny & Joon is a 1993 romantic comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about how two eccentric individuals, Sam and Juniper "Joon" , find each other and fall in love...
Notable persons with Geneva variant form of Juniper
- Geneva MitchellGeneva MitchellGeneva Mitchell was an American film actress. She appeared in over 70 films between 1929 and 1946.-Career:Modern viewers will recognize Mitchell from her appearances in the Three Stooges 1935 films Restless Knights, Pop Goes the Easel, and particularly Hoi Polloi...
, actress - Mamie Geneva Eisenhower, First Lady
Notable persons with Ginevra variant form of Juniper
- Ginevra de' BenciGinevra de' BenciGinevra de' Benci was an aristocrat from 15th-century Florence, admired for her intelligence by Florentine contemporaries. She is the subject of a portrait painting by Leonardo da Vinci...
, subject in Leonardo da Vinci painting - Ginevra KingGinevra KingGinevra King was an American socialite, a Chicago, Illinois, debutante and the inspirational muse for several characters in the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald.-Early life:...
, muse of F. Scott Fitzgerald, named for the da Vinci painting
Fictional characters
- Princess Ginevra of Scotland, one of the main characters of HandelHANDELHANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
's opera, AriodanteAriodanteAriodante is an opera seria in three acts by Handel. The anonymous Italian libretto was based on a work by Antonio Salvi, which in turn was adapted from Canti 5 and 6 of Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso... - Ginevra "Ginny" Weasley, character in Harry Potter books
The name Juniper in performing arts
- Juniper (band)Juniper (band)Juniper were an Irish rock band from County Kildare, most widely-known today as a precursor to Damien Rice and Bell X1. The band consisted of Rice , Paul Noonan, Brian Crosby, Dominic Philips and David Geraghty...
- Juniper LaneJuniper LaneJuniper Lane is an alternative, five-piece band from the Washington, DC area. Their music has been described as "cryptic, polished dark pop firmly rooted in but not too derivative of ‘80s modern-rock."...
, band - "Jennifer JuniperJennifer Juniper"Jennifer Juniper" is a song and single by Donovan, released in 1968. It charted in the UK and USA. It was written about Jenny Boyd, sister of Pattie Boyd, while they were all with The Beatles in Rishikesh. She married Mick Fleetwood and was, at one time, the sister-in-law of George Harrison and,...
", 1968 song by Donovan - Juniper ProductionsJuniper Productions- The Jubilee Theatre :The theatre was opened on May 30th 1900 Victorian with a beautiful proscenium arch of Doulton tiles by W.J. Neatby, depicting two pre-Raphaelite figures which face East & West, as the Theatre faces True North & South. It was built for Staff & Patients of the Hospital.The...
, theatre group
Notable businesses or products named Juniper
- Juniper BankJuniper BankJuniper Bank was founded in January 2000 by several former executives of First USA Bank. Richard Vague - CEO, and Jim Stewart - President, received the initial round of funding from Benchmark Capital....
- Juniper NetworksJuniper NetworksJuniper Networks is an information technology and computer networking products multinational company, founded in 1996. It is head quartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. The company designs and sells high-performance Internet Protocol network products and services...
- Juniper (train)Juniper (train)The Coradia Juniper series is a family of electric multiple unit trains built by Alstom Transport Birmingham, subcontractor: Ganz Hunslet, Hungary for use on the railway network in Great Britain. The family is related to the Coradia 1000 series of diesel multiple unit...