Former Essendon captain Jobe Watson names new baby after a shrub

Former Essendon captain Jobe Watson and his model girlfriend Virginia Slaghekke have given birth to a beautiful baby daughter. 

The happy couple welcomed the little bundle of joy into the world on Friday, but didn’t publicly announce her birth until Monday.

While the news is undoubtedly joyous, some Bombers fans might be left scratching their heads at the unique name Jobe and Virginia selected for their first born.  

Hello: Former Essendon captain Jobe Watson and model girlfriend Virginia Slaghekke welcomed their first baby on Friday… and she has a VERY surprising name

The baby’s name is Juniper, which is an extremely common shrub or tree found across North America, Europe, and Asia.

‘She’s here,’ Virginia announced on Instagram. ‘Juniper Hendricks Watson, 21/9/2018.’

She continued: ‘We would like to thank all the wonderful staff at Grow Obstetrics and Epworth Freemasons for helping us bring our little girl into this world.’

Welcome: The happy couple welcomed the little bundle of joy into the world on Friday, but didn't publicly announce her birth until Monday

Welcome: The happy couple welcomed the little bundle of joy into the world on Friday, but didn’t publicly announce her birth until Monday

Trying something different: The baby's name is Juniper, which is an extremely common shrub or tree (pictured) found across North America, Europe, and Asia

Trying something different: The baby’s name is Juniper, which is an extremely common shrub or tree (pictured) found across North America, Europe, and Asia

While it may seem like a unique and bizarre name, Juniper has become increasingly popular as a child’s name over the last decade.

It entered the top 1000 baby names in America back in 2011, and has risen up the ranks every year since.

Virginia met Jobe in New York back in 2016, where the AFL player was living after being slapped with a two year playing suspension over the Essendon Football Club’s supplements scandal.

'We would like to thank all the wonderful staff at Grow Obstetrics and Epworth Freemasons for helping us bring our little girl into this world,' Virginia wrote on Instagram 

‘We would like to thank all the wonderful staff at Grow Obstetrics and Epworth Freemasons for helping us bring our little girl into this world,’ Virginia wrote on Instagram 

She told the Herald Sun that she had no idea who the famous footballer was when he ran after her with his number on a napkin after spotting her in a cafe.

‘I did not know of the existence of AFL until a few months ago,’ she said. ‘The way I know Jobe is from New York and there he is just Jobe. He is just Jobe to me.’

Despite having worked successfully as a model for Italian Vogue and Cartier, Virginia is now a pre-med student.

Brains and beauty! Despite having worked successfully as a model for Italian Vogue and Cartier, Virginia is now a pre-med student

Brains and beauty! Despite having worked successfully as a model for Italian Vogue and Cartier, Virginia is now a pre-med student

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk