This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- The juniper tree/shrub; occasionally a folk-etymology variant of Jennifer (from Welsh Guinevere)
- Origin
- English
- Gender
- Neutral
- Pronunciation
- JOO-nih-per
Juniper comes from the juniper tree and shrub — an English name with a free-spirited, bohemian feel and a classic, settled quality — and it's pronounced JOO-nih-per. It's also sometimes used as a folk-etymology stand-in for Jennifer, tracing back to the Welsh Guinevere. If you've heard that Juniper means 'young shoot' or 'sprout' from a Latin root, that particular claim doesn't hold up — what the name actually traces to is the tree/shrub itself, or that Jennifer connection.
Meaning & Origin of Juniper
Meaning: The juniper tree/shrub; occasionally a folk-etymology variant of Jennifer (from Welsh Guinevere).
Origin: English.
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'young shoot' or 'sprout,' from a proposed Latin root of the juniper plant's name. Actually: That specific gloss isn't confirmed by the sources checked — they support 'juniper tree/shrub' (or a folk-etymological link to Jennifer/Guinevere) as the origin, not a documented 'young shoot' meaning.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Juniper
JOO-nih-perIPA /ˈdʒuːnɪpər/
Popularity of Juniper
Juniper ranked #111 in 2024, with 2,441 babies given the name that year — which also happens to be its highest rank on record, based on data going back to 1969.
Names Like Juniper
These names share Juniper’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Juniper mean?
The juniper tree/shrub; occasionally a folk-etymology variant of Jennifer (from Welsh Guinevere). (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Juniper?
Juniper is pronounced JOO-nih-per (IPA: /ˈdʒuːnɪpər/).
Is Juniper a popular name right now?
Juniper is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #111 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1969–2024.)
Make Juniper Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Juniper, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Juniper? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
