I cannot resist.
Even after Dorcas posted her list yesterday, I still feel compelled to weigh in.
The Duggar family is expecting baby #20, which means they’ll need another J name. If you haven’t been following the mega-family since they had their first television special in 2004, the story of the names goes something like this:
They liked the name Joshua James for their first son. Then along came twins, Jana Marie and John-David. They didn’t want future kids to feel left out, so they figured they’d stick with J names, never dreaming they’d have so many kids.
The rest of the Duggar siblings are Jill Michelle, Jessa Lauren, Jinger Nicole, Joseph Garrett, Josiah Matthew, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah Robert, Jeremiah Robert, Jason Michael, James Andrew, Justin Samuel, Jackson Levi, Johannah Faith, Jennifer Danielle, Jordyn-Grace Makiya, and Josie Brooklyn.
Thanks to nouveau coinages like Jayden and Jaylon and Jaymee, J gets a bad rap, ranking right up there with the kreativ K. But there are plenty of J names that are stylish, wearable, and in some cases, completely unexpected.
No telling what the Duggar family will go with, but here are a few J names that anyone might consider.
BOYS
Jasper – He’s a nature name with a Colonial Revival vibe, plus his ends-in-r sound is terribly current. Popular in the nineteenth century, he’s rising again today. Jasper would fit in with the other Duggar names, but Jasper Duggar isn’t the most appealing first-last combination.
Jett – A modern all-boy choice with a nod to aviation and another to jet black coal, the name was most famously worn by a Disney Channel character, and by the late son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston. Jett first debuted in the US Top 1000 in 1999, and has climbed steadily to #353 last year. He’s probably not quite the Duggars’ style, though some of their middles hint at a trendier side.
Jonah or Jonas – They’re impeccably Biblical, but with Joseph, Josiah, and Josie, it seems like another Jo might be a no-go. Then again, it hasn’t stopped them yet …
Julian – This one could work beautifully. Despite Duggar Dad Jim Bob suggesting Julie Grace for baby Jordyn-Grace, never used a name starting with ju.
Jonathan – I would love to suggest it to Jim Bob and Michelle, but big brother John-David probably rules this out. Jonathan is one of my perpetual good guy names. I guess there could be a rat fink named Jonathan, but it seems like you’d have to be a helpful, sincere Boy Scout of a guy with this handsome name.
Jude – On their first television special, the family appeared to have settled on the name Judah Benjamin for son Jackson Levi. He shares the same sounds with Julian, but I’m not sure why they dumped Judah a coupla kids back – maybe they just liked Jackson better, or maybe they’d decided that Judah isn’t for them.
Jareth – Yes, yes I just suggested the name of the Goblin King, David Bowie’s character from 1986 fantasy flick Labyrinth, the rare Jim Henson production with a darker side. Jareth is a big-haired bad guy, his name apparently a spin on the Biblical Jared. So it isn’t exactly the Duggar family style, and yet, none of the kids’ names end in -eth. Jared strikes me as dated, but like sister Jennifer, it is one common J name that they’ve yet to use.
GIRLS
Jerusha – J’adore Jerusha. She’s an unusual Biblical pick with just enough use over the years to stay relevant. She also strikes me as an update to Geraldine. If the couple can have kids called Jedidiah and Josiah, why not Jerusha?
Justina – Since the family already includes a Justin, this one is almost certainly off the table – though they have a Josie and a Joseph. These days, Justin is a dad name, and Justine was a Bateman, but how ’bout Justina? She’s quirky and ancient, though perhaps the -tina ending gives parents pause.
Juliet – As with Julian, the family has yet to use the ju sound, and Julie has been in serious consideration in the past. (Seriously – how do you get to Jinger before Julia?) Other Jul- options include Julitta and Julissa. But this one is more a romantic, literary pick – not exactly their style.
June – She’s a lovely Little Einstein and Johnny Cash’s better half. Could Josie’s little sis be known as Junie? Along the same lines there’s Junia, Juno, and Juniper – all names in favor with name fans everywhere, but perhaps not on the radar of Arkansas’ most famous family.
Jessamine – Yes, there’s a Jessa, which might explain why the family has never welcomed a Jesse. Too bad because Jessamine and Jessamy are lovely, unexpected botanicals.
Jonquil – The slim nature name starts with jon, but offers a completely unexpected nickname. Just like Johannah answers to Hannie, Jonquil Duggar could be called Quil or Quilla. This is an idea that I love – not just for the Duggars, but for an ordinary family with just one or two children to name!
What do you think the Duggars will consider for the newest member of their family? Are there J-names that you’d use?
June Carter Cash was such a doll. She’s one of my idols. June is my favorite J name for a girl. It’s one of those names I would use no matter how popular it got, I just love it. Such a happy and sunny name. This video of June Carter makes me laugh every time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arde9psKcYY It’s impossible not to fall in love with her and her name after watching this.
I think it’s amazing that they chose nineteen children’s worth of J names and happened to miss every single J name I like– Julia, Jessamine, Juliet, Josephine, Jane, Junia, Juniper, Jasper, Joaquin, Julian, and Julius. The only one of their kids’ names I legitimately like is James, and I certainly do not have very high hopes for number 20’s appellation.
same!! I LOVE Julia(na), Juliet(te), Juniper, Jasper and Josephine!
And I’m sorry but Jinger and Jorja BOTH make me cringe.
oh and Jessamine! Love me my quirky British names
I hope they go with June. It means youth. Perfect for hopefully there final baby!
Jareth was my first crush 😀
(As a consequence, I can never ever name my child after him — especially in anticipation of the “It’s not fair!” phase…)
I vote for Joachim!
I’m one who’s not keen on most J names. But I have to comment that I love Quill as a possible name.
I don’t know why, but I feel like none of the kids’ first and middle names really flow together. And I’m surprised they have a Joseph, Josiah, and Josie before a Julie or Julian, or even Jacob. Since they went with a Josie, they should have gone with the full version, Josephine. As for suggestions, for a girl, I like the name Juliana, but they have several girl with an -ana ending (Joy-Anna and Johanna, plus Josh’s wife Anna). For boys, Joel is a strong, biblical name they haven’t used.
I remember trying to rename their children, using only J names and as many of their family names as I could hunt down on Wikipedia. Would anyone be interested in that?
YES! Will you post it? I’d be so curious to see!
I feel proud of this like only a name nerd can.When I ran out of family names, I used virtues or names that were SOOO common they had to be in their family tree somewhere. :p
James Robert (Tripp, 3rd James in a row)
(John Michael (Jack)
(Jane Tamsin (Jennie)
Juliet Mary (Jules)
Josephine Quinn (Posey)
Joy Deanna (JD)
Joseph Garrett (Joss)
Jacob Octavius (Cub)
Junia Grace (Junie)
(Judah Ruark (Jude)
(Jonah Thomas (Joe)
Jeremy William (Jem)
Jethro Charles (Jethro)
Jasper Edward (Jasper)
Jessica Ethel (Jessa)
Janette Hope (Etta)
Joanne Faith (Annie)
Jillian Charity (Jacey)
GENIUS!
Oh, excellent! I particularly like Junia Grace and Jethro Charles. Jasper Edward’s great too, barring the Twilight connections.
Thanks! I quite like Jethro too and I didn’t even notice the Twilight connection with Jasper Edward. I think that new baby in my own Duggar list will either be Jessamine Mercy (Sam/Minnie) or Jonathan Henry (Nate).
Jefferson: They don’t have a “Jeff” yet and Jefferson feels like a good fit with Jackson.
Though The Jefferson Bible probably scandalizes the Duggars’…
Jairus: Uncommon Biblical name, but sound-wise it’s very on trend. Plus, Jairus is a New Testament figure from one of Jesus’ miracles so it’s seems very Duggar-friendly.
Junia: Another uncommon new testament name. Unfortunately, Junia’s gender and her apostleship are subjects of considerable debate. The Duggars’ denomination probably discounts her validity. 🙁
Jewel: As you mentioned they don’t have Ju- name yet. For some reason Jewel feels more their “style than Juliet.
I was going to mention Jacintha, until I realized they already have a Jason… not that has stopped them before.
I’m betting they go for Jewel or Judah.
I think you’re right about the Jewel/Juliet style thing.
I love Jemma! I’m also surprised they never did Julie/Julia/Juliet.
Poor Jinger. It’s pronounced like “ginger” (yes, I watch the show) but I hear people call her “jing-er” when they read the list of names every time a new baby is announced.