In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno. Juno was also the name for the queen of the gods.
Originally, the genius/juno were ancestors who guarded over their descendants. Over time, they turned into personal guardian spirits, granting intellect and prowess. Sacrifices were made to one's genius/juno on one's birthday.
The juno was worshipped under many titles:
- Iugalis - protected marriage
- Matronalis - protected married women
- Pronuba - protected the bride
- Virginalis - protected virginity
See also Lares, Di Penates, Genius loci