Is Jemma a madeup/creative spelling?

[Saturday22April]

Is the Jemma spelling one you would think "my gosh" at?

[AuntieStella]

I wouldn't gasp.

I think it's newer than Gemma (and I read and re-read the Gemma and Sisters books when I was young) but I think that's a newish name anyhow. So it's a name with nice associations for me, whichever way you spell it (though personally I'd go with G)

[Northgate]

I've not got any problems with the Jemma spelling.

Any raised eyebrows from me would be more because Gemma / Jemma feels like a 1980's name to me, so a bit dated.

[HolditFinger]

I know a couple of Jemmas.

[ChickenBhuna]

I think it's nice , both Gemma and Jemma are.

The problem here is that I think a Jemma would constantly be correcting/spelling out her name for people.

[SucklingDuckling]

I know one Gemma and one Jemma, both lovely

[toomuchfaster]

My DF Jemma turns 40 this year!! It's not new at all.

[BeBeatrix]

Much prefer "Gemma", but have come across a couple of "Jemma"s.

[Oysterbabe]

Why not Gemma?

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

❤️ Jemma, preferable to Gemma.

[theresamustgo]

I would think it wa Jemima without the I.

[Enidblyton1]

No it's been around a long time.
Jemma Redgrave, Jemma Kidd etc

I prefer it to Gemma - but more unusual. I wouldn't worry about the spelling. Some people will assume the more common spelling, but that can be said for many names.

[Enidblyton1]

*bit more

[feckingmarvellous]

I prefer Jemma

[GirlcalledJames]

Gemma is only a "newish name anyhow" if you consider Ancient Rome recent...

[Squidgling]

I prefer it spelt with a "J" so no I wouldn't gasp at the spelling.

[DramaAlpaca]

It's a perfectly standard variant of Gemma, and I personally prefer it spelled Jemma.

[AlwaysTheWinner]

I think that it's nicer spelt Jemma. I don't know why, it just looks better!

[FrenchLavender]

I think either Jemma or Gemma are both equally acceptable and well used, in the same way as Katherine or Catherine. I certainly wouldn't think of Jemma as being weirdly creative with the spelling.

[CaulkheadNorth]

I prefer it to Gemma. This might be because it was the name of my childhood best friend, whereas as Gemma was an odd kid in the other class....

It just looks prettier

[FrenchLavender]

It's a funny name to pick now though - it's more likely to be the name of a woman having a baby than it is to be the baby! Such an eighties name.

[user1487175389]

Gemma is actually a really old name. Several hundred years at least.

I was quite surprised to find that out myself when I was last researching baby names.

[bumblebeader]

My daughter who is 15 is Gemma. We chose to spell it the traditional way, assuming it was what most people would presume it was spelt, but most people presume it is Jemma. We moved to America last year and it's a very rare name here. Most people think it's a hard G sound and they really mangle it!

So to sum it up, for various reasons, Jemma would have been easier!

[Ohyesiam]

Ii had a Jemma in my classes in the 70s, not new. Pretty name.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

I grew up with a Jemma. Born 1981. Not new.

[Sophronia]

My cousin (born 1998) is a Jemma, and always has to say "Jemma with a J".