Is Jemima a strong or twee name?

[diddlediddle]

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?

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

I love it.

Twee for me, sorry

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

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).

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

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

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.

Twee for me I'm afraid.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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!

Gemymah screams "yoonique".

The classic and ancient name Jemima does not.

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.

Twee

How can a well known biblical name that’s featured in one of the most famous well known classic films ‘scream yoonique’ ?!?!
Can always rely on Mumsnet

Yeah I'm not mad on the nickname Mimi, I also find it twee. I'd probably go for Jem.

I'm not concerned it's a yoonique name! As pp said, "yoonique" is when people make names up or spell them weirdly for no reason. Jemima is clearly neither of those.

Really pleased that people know some cool Jemimas. And that although some people do think twee plenty are saying no...

So hard picking names isn't it!

Might consider the Gemymah spelling though @LarkDescending

I know two. Great name.

Prefer Jemma.

Jemima is an opinionated and strong girl's name! It's in a very different camp to the Mila/Mia/Ella type names. Not all names ending in 'a' are weak sounding. When I say Jemima it's hard to drawl it. I comes out sounding quite clipped and business- like!

Twee and not a nice sound sorry