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Original poster

Is Jemima a strong or twee name?

67 replies

diddlediddle · 13/05/2019 12:36

As per title really, I can't decide which camp it falls into.

It is a biblical name so it's obviously got transition on its side and I like the strong J sound at the start.

But on the other hand it ends in an A and I feel like lots of girls names ending in A are very popular and a bit twee and nothingy. I personally put names like Mia, myla, isla, lila, ayla, amelia in this category. I know there's nothing wrong with those names if you like them but I personally don't so I want to avoid a name with the same connotations.

What do people think?

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ArtichokeAardvark · 13/05/2019 18:23

I know two little Jemima's, they're both great fun and I love the name! However both get shortened to Mimi, which I do find twee.

LarkDescending · 13/05/2019 18:20

Gemymah screams "yoonique".

The classic and ancient name Jemima does not.

codenameduchess · 13/05/2019 17:34

Twee for me I'm afraid, it screams 'yoonique' as if the parents have tried too hard.... obviously it's no reflection on the child who grows up with name, same as any Amelia or Isla could grow up to be the most amazing person you ever knew.

It's your daughter so call her whatever you want, I regret my DDs name a bit as it was the 'safe' option (dh shot down all my cooler ones!), although she totally owns it and I couldn't imagine calling her anything else now!

Tonightstheteriyakichicken · 13/05/2019 17:33

Sounds strong not twee to me.
My DD's name ends in -a and she abbreviates it so maybe like you she feels it's a bit wet. Sad

ShirleyAvenue · 13/05/2019 17:32

A favourite girls' name for me. Strong, definitely.
Association with Puddleduck is completely neutral/ irrelevant.

IrregularCommentary · 13/05/2019 17:30

I love it. Beautiful name, and the only Jemima I know is awesome - funny, clever and a really strong personality.

NC4Now · 13/05/2019 17:30

Twee for me. My niece is called Jemima. I love her dearly but I do think her parents picked a doll’s name.
That said, Jemima Khan’s pretty cool.

ThatCurlyGirl · 13/05/2019 17:28

@MsMarvellous Ah we are daaaahn saaaaaf so it looks like Mima is a nationwide phenomenon - rightly so!

DramaRamaLlama · 13/05/2019 17:27

Twee for me I'm afraid.

Calixtine · 13/05/2019 17:26

I love it. I know that you mean about Isla, Lila, Myla, Layla, Ayla, Orla et al and I wouldn’t put Jemima in that category at all. It’s much more weighty and distinctive.

MsMarvellous · 13/05/2019 17:23

@ThatCurlyGirl are you in North East England? Newcastle/Gateshead way?

AlyssasBackRolls · 13/05/2019 17:21

I think it's nice, the other associations won't apply today as much. Jem is a lovely nickname.

LarkDescending · 13/05/2019 17:21

I love Jemima; I know two - one is a senior barrister (QC) and the other is a fabulous feisty athletic 11yo who is in no way twee. It's a great name.

(NB just in case it comes up it is viewed less positively in the US due to a certain "Aunt Jemima" food brand over there which is associated with a racial stereotype).

ThatCurlyGirl · 13/05/2019 17:19

@MsMarvellous Ooh I wonder! She's such a little legend so if not I'm glad there's another one out there too!

Snipples · 13/05/2019 17:18

Twee for me, sorry

OneForTheRoadThen · 13/05/2019 16:03

I love it.

MsMarvellous · 13/05/2019 15:59

@ThatCurlyGirl the one I know is Mima too. Wonder if it's the same one 😂

teyem · 13/05/2019 14:24

Yup, like the others, the instant association for me is Puddleduck.

stellarfox · 13/05/2019 14:18

I like it. I can see it becoming more popular

paintwater · 13/05/2019 13:56

Honestly it’s a bit of both. The name itself is strong and beautiful, but the association with puddleduck is a bit twee.

PetrichorRain · 13/05/2019 13:55

Twee to me, sorry. And a bit whiny in my head - it's the middle syllable, jem-MIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-ma is how I hear it.

I had no idea it was Biblical!

Summerwalk · 13/05/2019 13:54

Weak and twee for me

Jellycat1 · 13/05/2019 13:53

It could definitely be strong. I could imagine a top city lawyer called Jemima.

livin · 13/05/2019 13:26

Puddleduck.

ThatCurlyGirl · 13/05/2019 13:26

The only Jemima I know is a belter of a little girl. Strong, confident, bright and lovely. She's in no way twee and all the way awesome

Ditto over here. And she's Mima (pronounced my-muh) as a nickname which I really like too. Gorgeous name!

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