“Jennifer” may mean “the fair one” (from Proto-Celtic “Windo-*sēbro” (cognate with Old Irish síabar “a spectre, phantom, supernatural being [usually in pejorative sense]”). A Cornish form, it is cognate with the Welsh form Gwenhwyfar and with the Old Irish Findabair. Despite the name’s similarity to the Old English words “jenefer,” “genefer,” and “jinifer,” these appear to be derived from the juniper plant used to flavor the beverage.
–The Wikipedias
I grew up in the golden age of Jennifers. There were 4 of us in my grade in elementary school, which was a feat, given that over 50% of my grade were students of Indian descent. Add to that, the fact that I preferred to go by Jenny, but so did my grandmother, Jeannine. When a boyfriend-at-the-time settled on Jayjay because it was “cute” (which I am, assuredly, not… if you looked up cute in the thesaurus, my picture would be next to the “Antonyms” heading…) I decided to let it ride.
Now, credit where it’s due, “the fair one” is pretty apt for me. At least, complexion-wise. Probably much less so temperamentally. And with how frequently I threaten to come back and haunt people for testing my patience, spectre or phantom are also pretty on-the-button.
It’s probably best that the juniper derivatives are not actually related because, despite the strength of my British DNA, a G&T is not my jam. Hit me with that dark rum and diet coke with lime any day, though.
Ominous Velour 
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