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Original poster

What do you think of Jem and would you think it was short for...

58 replies

mosesbasketcase · 10/11/2009 18:13

James or Jeremy? I really like it for James (which it was orig short for) but hate the name Jeremy.

Other contenders are Harry or Sam. Votes?

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Spidermama · 10/11/2009 18:14

I know a Jeremy who shortens it to Jem. I'm not keen on the name Jeremy either.

Harry and Sam are way to popular for my liking so I would go with Jem.

Wheelybug · 10/11/2009 18:14

I Like it - the only I know is short for James.

JackieNo · 10/11/2009 18:15

I'd assume short for Jeremy, tbh. Quite like Jem though. Could it be short for 'Jeremiah' ?

Snowtiger · 10/11/2009 18:21

I'd assume it was short for Jeremy too, as I knew a Jem whose full name was Jeremy when I was younger - but again, I quite like it. Harry's a great name though.

EldonAve · 10/11/2009 18:22

Jemima

Parmageddon · 10/11/2009 18:24

Jemima was also my initial thought, but for a boy - no idea - wouldn't think of it as short for anything really.

TutTutter · 10/11/2009 18:25

tis dh's name

well, if you were a jeremy, you'd settle for anything else, no?

TutTutter · 10/11/2009 18:25

sams and harrys EVERYwhere atm

PurlyQueen · 10/11/2009 18:26

Jem reminds me of that 1980s doll...

"Gem is my name. No one else is the same. Gem is my name...GEM!!"

fannybanjo · 10/11/2009 18:27

Jemima or Jemma. Is I was told a baby's name was Jem my initial thoughts would be it was a girl.

fannybanjo · 10/11/2009 18:28

"Gem is truly outrageous, truly truly outrageous yeah yeah"PurlyQueen you have brought back memories!

boodleboot · 10/11/2009 18:32

'Gem is my name....noone else is the same...GEM IS MY NAAAAMMMMMEEE GEM....'

ah. the good old days

i always thought it was short for Jeremiah

MamaLazarou · 10/11/2009 18:49

Jemima

(In our house we used to sing 'Gem is my name and I'm on the game' to the Gem theme tune )

doingthelambethwalk · 10/11/2009 18:56

Dickens uses it as short for James in Hard Times and in The Old Curiosity Shop. Like it.

Acanthus · 10/11/2009 18:58

I'd assume Jeremy

SolidGoldBangers · 10/11/2009 19:03

BTW young people, the girl-band-cartoon-dolly was called Jem not Gem.
ANd one of my best (male) mates is a Jem (short for Jeremy) and oh the fun I used to have pursuing him round the house bellowing 'Jee-ee-eem, truly outrageous, truly truly truly outrageous!'

He never enjoyed that quite as much as i did for some reason.

fannybanjo · 10/11/2009 19:11

Jem bit of nostalgia for ya!

randomimposter · 10/11/2009 20:13

really like Jem... most people would think it was nn for a girl - Jemima, or Jemma.

But we know a little Jem who is a boy - just called Jem, not short for anything else.

Agree on Jeremy... but LIKE Jeremiah. OR make it James, and call him Jem.

Harry and Sam are both LOVELY names, but sadly very widely used. If you want to be a bit different, GO JEM!!!!

bellissima · 10/11/2009 20:34

Jeremy. Possibly James. Outsider chance of Jerome (I have a nephew of that name who sometimes gets Jem more usually 'Jer').

Interesting isn't it? - I would only ever think it was a boy and yet plenty of people immediately assume it's a girl.

randomimposter · 10/11/2009 20:38

oooo, forgot to say Jerome - which I think is a great name. MUCH nicer than Jeremy. That would work - and maybe more accessible/cool than Jeremiah...?

Adair · 10/11/2009 20:38

My immediate thought is Jem the doll (must get one for dd, far better role model - punk girl group, yeah!!)

And then Jem, boy, Kill a Mockingbird bla bla. Guess that shows how uncultured I am.

James/Jem works for me. Tis also a Turkish boy's name Cem (pron. Jem). I love it!

Original poster
mosesbasketcase · 10/11/2009 20:46

Thanks everyone, interesting and useful responses. The Jemma, Jemima, Jeremy connotations put me off.

I know a few Sams round here but no Harrys and I asked the local nursery - they have none in class and one on waiting list but two Sams and four on waiting list so I'm thinking maybe people round here aren't choosing Harry cos it's no. 4 countrywide and that puts them off... it's the same with Jacks. It's number one in charts but I only actually know one.

With Jem I guess we were trying to find something with the same friendly, solid feel but more unusual but maybe the reason it ISN'T popular is because of the slightly ambiguous connotations.

Having said that they'll probably be a new male Doctor Who assistant next year called Jem and suddenly it will be in top ten!

OP posts:
Brightfield · 10/11/2009 21:04

A friend has just named their baby boy Jem. Jem is his full name.

I can't get used to it, as it feels so feminine to me.

jkklpu · 10/11/2009 21:33

I know a Jeremiah/Jem and a half-Turkish boy called Cem (pro. Jem)

strig · 10/11/2009 21:47

I would think Jeremy as I love Jem in to kill a mocking bird - DH said no to that for our DS though! If you like Jem and want it to be short for James go for it! It's a bit different to Harry or Sam but I like both of those as well.