So I’m now 31 weeks and my husband and I have found for the first time a name we can agree on: [name]Juniper[/name].
I suggested it to him about a month ago, and he immediately loved it, but I had to let it simmer. I’m still finding myself really drawn to it, even though it’s different than the class of “Old Lady Names” I usually love (and my husband vetoed).
PROS:
I like the melodic sound of it and the fact that is has three syllables (to go with the predetermined two-syllable MN [name]Marie[/name] and one-syllable last name Beam).
It has a natural and green connotation, which I love.
We’re huge on nicknames, and it has good nickname potential: [name]June[/name], [name]Junie[/name], [name]Juno[/name].
It’s unusual but not made up.
CONS:
Our parents and grandparents won’t like it. At all. This shouldn’t matter, as they didn’t initially like our firstborn’s name of [name]Eli[/name] but now love it, and most of the names their generation likes are not in style. But still, a consideration…
It’s a noun name, and our last name is also a noun.
[name]Will[/name] it be grouped into a class of what I consider less-appealing noun names: [name]Destiny[/name], [name]Krystal[/name], [name]Journey[/name], etc.
We don’t want to share any name possibilities with friends and family in advance; they already know it’s a girl, so we’d like to keep some element of surprise. Any help you can provide would be very much appreciated. [name]Don[/name]'t be afraid to be honest!
While [name]Juniper[/name] isn’t my style I think [name]Juniper[/name] [name]Marie[/name] Beam flows well and is cute and unusual, but not cruel at all. [name]June[/name] is also an adorable nickname. Have you ever seen [name]Benny[/name] and Joon? It’s one of my favorite movies and the [name]June[/name] character’s real name is [name]Juniper[/name], which I always thought was darling.
I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Juniper[/name]! I love the surplus of nicknames, and I think it fits a child just as well as an adult. [name]Eli[/name] and [name]Juniper[/name] make such a cute sib set too! Plus, juniper trees are very beautiful and its a nice image.
DH and I have chosen [name]Ebony[/name] for one of our twins, and while we haven’t had a chance to observe the teasing aspect (we’re adopting and the process isn’t over yet), I don’t think it will be a problem. [name]Ebony[/name] is also a noun name, but it represents something so beautiful! I think the same goes for [name]Juniper[/name]. I read the link you posted and while many of those other Junipers claim to have been called [name]Jupiter[/name], I wouldn’t worry about it. Maybe [name]Jupiter[/name] would become a nickname with her friends.
My name’s [name]Ngozi[/name] (pronounced n-GOH-zee), and growing up, my friends called me Nose. Most parents might be horrified if other kids called their child Nose, but my friends never meant it in a mean way, and I actually liked it.
If you’re too worried about it, then maybe see if you can find something else. But if you love it and you both agree on it (which can be a huge feat for some couples), then go for it! Its lovely
I really like [name]Juniper[/name], but I worry it doesn’t go well with the last name Beam (unfortunately I think the combo enhances the [name]Jupiter[/name] thing and brings to mind images of outer space and moon beams) and I don’t know if I like it with a brother named [name]Eli[/name] (one of my favorite boy’s names by the way), since they are such different styles.
Here are a few other suggestions:
[name]Julia[/name]
Justinia
[name]Judith[/name]
[name]Violet[/name]
[name]Iris[/name]
[name]Zinnia[/name]
I agree with one of the previous posters. It reminds me of [name]Jupiter[/name], especially with your last name. I love the name [name]June[/name] though.
While I think [name]Juniper[/name] (nn [name]June[/name], etc.) is darling, I do have to agree that with your last name, I think that [name]Juniper[/name] Beam will be teased with “[name]Jupiter[/name] Beam,” along the lines of [name]Moon[/name] Beam. I’m not a [name]Star[/name] Trek fan, but the “Beam me up” phrase comes to mind. (I do think [name]Juniper[/name] is sweet, though!)
I have to say, even though no one else in the family has a vaguely celestial name, we get plenty of Beam jokes and puns, including “Beam me up,” “moon Beam,” “sun Beam,” etc. I don’t know if [name]Juniper[/name] would exacerbate that, or if she’s doomed to get a little of it anyway…
I think [name]Juniper[/name] is adorable! If you already get jokes about “Beam me up” etc, then she’s probably bound to get that teasing just for having your last name!
I don’t think that [name]Jupiter[/name] Beam is really that bad of a teasing prospect anyway. At least nothing crude or mean can be derived from it. Besides, if you call plan on calling her [name]June[/name] from the get-go, I doubt that [name]Jupiter[/name] will be an issue.
My one concern is this: [name]June[/name] Beam does make me think of [name]Jim[/name] Beam. And I’m not even a whiskey drinker.
[name]Juniper[/name] isn’t my type of thing (I like more traditional names), but it is very cute. I’m really not wild about it with Beam, though. Unless you live somewhere very cool and eccentric, I think she’d be in for a lot of teasing.
I’m torn on this one, but I have an idea for you – what if you named her [name]Junia[/name] or [name]Juno[/name] but you and your husband called her “[name]Juniper[/name]” as your little nickname for her. Nicknames can be longer versions of the name too. It would avoid the two-noun name and any connotations with [name]Jupiter[/name]. Other people might pick up on the [name]Juniper[/name] nickname, but then she’ll always have the non-noun name to fall back on for professional things.
I think [name]Juniper[/name] is two ways, kind of odd or some odd incarnation of [name]Jennifer[/name]. I know it’s not related, but I think it has gained popularity on the coattails.
I think it really depends on the family if this will fly. I’m more of the kind of person who would say [name]June[/name] or [name]Junia[/name] (like some previous posters) and then call her [name]Juniper[/name] for fun. It is seriously quirky and may be linked to this period of time on quirkiness alone. I also think it is cool, but as a person who may name a human being who comes out of myself someday, this is just a funky, hipstery name all the same. Sounds cute, may actually be cute, is also quirky and odd. Like I said though, if [name]Jennifer[/name] could have gained such ground, being kind of a weird name itself in time and place, [name]Juniper[/name] is really not that different. When she is grown and graduated from college, does it sound like someone with a career to you? Can it be adorable now and professional later? I have to say, I don’t really think so. But I’m a fuddy-duddy! I can neither predict nor dictate how this will come off in 20 years or so.
I love it, fantastic name. My mind didn’t jump to the space connection ([name]Jupiter[/name]/beam) but rather to a gin and tonic! (“juniper bean”… I know it’s a berry but that’s what I thought!)
i agree, karen. i’m a jennifer and got called ‘jennifer juniper’ (1968 song by [name]Donovan[/name]) or just [name]Juniper[/name], so it reminds me of jennifer. and i agree with the others that a short 'J" name with your last name is always going to lead people to the jim beam connection.
I like it. I think it’s bold. It reminds me of the [name]Donovan[/name] song [name]Jennifer[/name] [name]Juniper[/name], hence, it reminds me of the hippie era, which I happen to think is great.
I like [name]Juniper[/name], but I’m not sure it goes with Beam. [name]Juniper[/name] Beam sounds like something that should be used in building a house. I’m sorry, but that was the first impression I got.
Wow, these responses are all over the map… which doesn’t surprise me, because that’s kind of how I feel about it, too. While my husband is unwavering, one minute I love it and think it’s adorable and unique, and the next minute I’m dreading all its negative associations. Anyway, a lot to think about. Thanks so much for everyone’s feedback!
[name]Juniper[/name] Beam is super cool. [name]June[/name] as a nick name is very classic and serious so if she needs/wants to be serious she goes by [name]June[/name]. As a teenager she will [name]LOVE[/name] being called [name]Jupiter[/name], believe me. With the last name beam she will inevitably get the “beam me up” stuff.
I have an unusual name [name]Meryl[/name] my friends sometime called me [name]Mertle[/name] but it never really bothered me. I also have sibling with more normal names : [name]Michelle[/name], [name]Morgan[/name] and [name]Melody[/name] and they all wish they had a more unique name.
The only negative thing i can say is that I’m NOT a fan of [name]Marie[/name]. Is it a family name? To me its kind of a throw away middle name like [name]Anne[/name] (my middle name), rose and grace. with that said it does flow with [name]Juniper[/name] and I do agree that [name]Juniper[/name] would sound best followed by a more common name.
You are so lucky to get your husband so excited about a name thats actually pretty good. Im due in February and the only name my hubby is rooting for is Lightning!!! good luck.
