Name of the Week

 

Affable and urbane: Jasper is, quite literally, a gem of a name. 
With a steady upward curve, its also a fashionable choice.

 

Origin:

An anglicised form of Casper, the traditional name given to one of the three wise men of the Nativity. Its origins are obscure, but the most convincing theory is that it derives from the Persian khazāndār meaning "treasurer" — a highly appropriate name for a gift-bearing Magi.  Jasper is also the name of a semi-precious stone, in use in this form from at least the 13th century, which derives from the Greek ἴασπις iaspis.

Usage:

Originally, the bible gave no number to the Magi of the Nativity. The earliest record of the three wise men (Jasper, Melchior and Balthazar) dates from Ravenna in the 6th century, and this became the accepted number and names of the Magi in Christian tradition. In later centuries, the three figures were used to symbolise the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa — Jasper was Europe's representative.  Their supposed remains were moved from Constantinople to Milan in the 4th century, and from Milan to Cologne in the 12th century. Since that time, the name was used quite popularly in France (the French form Gaspard is currently in France's Top 100) and also spread to Germany where it was also popular. Some early examples of Jasper used in Britain suggest they were French or German descendants: a Jasper Grondmon living in York in 1437 is recorded as "of Prucia" [sic].  Jasper has never been common in Britain, but it did find local popularity in Yorkshire when it was used by resident gentry families in the late 15th century through to the 17th. Other individual examples in the gentry can be found in other counties, such as Jasper More (1547—1613) of Larden Hall in Shropshire (whose grandchildren were shipped to America on the Mayflower). It is possible that the ascendancy of the Tudor dynasty helped to influence its use. Jasper Tudor, 1st Duke of Bedford, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1431—1495) was half-brother to Henry VI, uncle to Henry VII and a prominent figure in the Wars of the Roses.  The name picked up usage in the 18th and 19th century, averaging around 35 births per year during Victoria's reign. The 1841 UK census records 1,202 men named Jasper: 93% of whom were living in England, 6% in Scotland and 1% in Wales. By the 1881 UK census, Jasper has a very consistant figure of 1,408, and by 1901 there were 1,538 Jaspers (90% in England, 6% in Scotland, 4% in Wales).  Of the total births in 1890 in England and Wales, Jasper ranked #230 (39 births), which had fallen slightly to #253 (33 births) in 1900.  The name declined in the 40s, 50s and 60s, but since the 1990s Jasper has been gradually rising in a steady upward curve in England and Wales. In 1996 the name ranked #284 with 94 births. It had risen to #239 in 2000 (124 births); was #195 (213 births) in 2005, and #152 (389 births) in 2010. In 2011 the name ranked #138 with 453 births. In Scotland the name ranked #275 (13 births) in 2010 and #349 (9 births) in 2011. In Northern Ireland, the name has not had a count of more than 3 births from 1997 to 2011.

Namesakes:

History: * Jasper Tudor, 1st Duke of Bedford, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1431–1495), son of Owen Tudor, half-brother to Henry VI, and uncle to Henry VII. * Jasper More (1613–1620), passenger on board the Mayflower — grandson of Jasper More (above). * Jasper Mayne (1604–1672), British clergyman, poet and dramatist. * Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823–1900), notable American landscape artist.  * Jasper "Jack" Daniel (1849–1911), founder of Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey distillery. * Sir Jasper More (1907–1987), MP and author.  Contemporary: * Jasper Carrott OBE (b.1945), British comedian. * Jasper Conran (b.1959), British fashion-designer. * Jasper Fforde (b.1961), British novelist. * Jasper Britton (b.1962), British actor.   Literature and Film: * Jasper Hale is a character in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Series. Other: * Jasper is the name of several cities and counties in America. * Six ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Jasper.

Variants:

Caspar (Latin), Casper (Scandinavian), Kaspar (German), Gaspard (French), Jesper (Danish), Gaspare (Italian), Kacper (Polish), Siasbar (Welsh)

Pronunciation:

JAS-pə  [key]

Possible Diminutives:

Jas, Jay, Jazz, Jep, Sep

Sibling Names:

Penelope    Beatrix     Ada    Perdita     Amabel     Verity  Barnaby     Felix     Tristan     Rupert     Theodore     Edmund

Name Lists:

Vintage Names  Upright Elegance   Victorian Darlings   Gorgeously Georgian   Gemstones   Names of Roses

 

If you like Jasper you may also like:   Judah, Asher, Jonas, Giles, Hector, Jonty, Thaddeus, Lucius, Everett, Aubin