See the results of this poll: Can Juniper be a boy’s name
Respondents: 50 (This poll is closed)
- Yes, it’s masculine : 2 (4%)
- No, it’s feminine : 16 (32%)
- It’s unisex: 32 (64%)
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u] is all girl to me. I would consider [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] for a boy but never [name_u]Juniper[/name_u].
I feel like nature names are (technically) on even ground for girls and boys. The exceptions being gendered nouns in other languages. Ie: Using [name_f]Esmeralda[/name_f] on a boy? No, because that’s a feminine word. Using [name_f]Emerald[/name_f] on a boy? Sure, there’s no law (language or otherwise) saying you can’t.
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u] isn’t my style, but in terms of the shrub, it doesn’t bring to mind frilliness the way that flowered names tend to do. I think [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] could definitely work on a boy.
I don’t see why not. The only place I ever see it mentioned is on nameberry.
For me, [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] is feminine. It feels like the spunkier, more modern version of [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f]. I am also one that does not feel that nature names are automatically unisex. I personally would not name my son; [name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_f]Coral[/name_f], [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], or [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and would not name my daughter; [name_m]Wolf[/name_m], [name_m]Birch[/name_m], [name_m]Rock[/name_m], [name_m]Ridge[/name_m], [name_m]Bear[/name_m], or [name_u]Orion[/name_u].
I just went and asked my son his thoughts on [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]. He said he would not feel comfortable with the name, that it sounds like a girl’s name.
SSA (2013)
female - 648
male - not in the top 1000
I think it can, in the same way as [name_m]Jasper[/name_m] can technically be a girls’ name, for me. It’s a nature name, which really doesn’t have any right to claim it for either gender, since nouns in English aren’t gendered. 
I tend to think [name_m]Jupiter[/name_m]: boy and [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]: girl, but I am not opposed to a girl [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], so I don’t think I have room to complain about a boy [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]. I’m not sure I can really imagine it, but if you can, I think it’s intriguing. I definitely think it could work as a middle.
I hadn’t considered it for a boy before now but I don’t see any problem with it. I think it’s kind of neat actually.
The boy character from the spy kids movies was called [name_f]Juni[/name_f] - why couldn’t it be short for [name_u]Juniper[/name_u].
Blessed Junipero [name_f]Serra[/name_f] (who was male) is about to be canonized as a saint, so I can see [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] working as an English version of the name. I do prefer [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] on a girl, though.
I agree completely with @mega_muffin. I can definitely see [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] working for a boy, even if it might work better in the middle.
My first instinct is that [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] would be a girl, but there is nothing inherently feminine about it, so I could see it being used for a boy.
It is a pretty feminine name to me, but I think most nature names are fairly flexible. Especially since [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] is a tree, not a flower. I wouldn’t be shocked to hear it on a male, but I would assume it’s a female if I didn’t know.
[name_f]Juno[/name_f] is a REALLY feminine nickname. I’d expect to meet a male [name_f]Juno[/name_f] about as much as I’d expect to meet a male [name_f]Ella[/name_f]. [name_f]Juni[/name_f] might work, though!
I’ve never met anyone called [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work on a boy. There are very few truly unisex names but nature names like [name_u]River[/name_u], [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], [name_u]Rowan[/name_u] etc can work on either gender [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
While I feel like it is technically unisex, I dislike the idea of it on a boy. I feel like a boy would not appreciate having the name. The first part of the name, [name_u]June[/name_u], is very feminine.
Of course!
I think it skews feminine because of the established girls’ name “[name_u]June[/name_u]” at the beginning. However, I think it could go either way and would love to see it on more kids in general!