This gentle Biblical name, and popular Victorian darling, is becoming a
hot fashionable in Britain today.
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Origin: |
From the Hebrew name Yemimah, which originally appears in the Old Testament as one of the three daughters of Job. The name is most commonly said to mean "dove". The problem with this theory is that yemimah is not a direct translation of the word for dove that appears in the bible. The word that is used — yonah (יוֹנָה) — is already found in the bible as the name Jonah. There is another Hebrew word in the bible that is much closer to Yemimah / Jemima — yamimah (יָמִ֗ימָה)*, and the route word yowm (יוֹם)* — which roughly translates as "day" (and ultimately "warm" as a day was considered to be the 'warm' hours). So close are the two forms in fact, that if you put yamimah (יָמִ֗ימָה)* into Google Translate the word is read as Jemima*. This uncanny similarity has led many scholars to believe that the name has a meaning of "like the day" or "bright as day," attributing it either as a reference to Jemima's famed beauty, or to Job having come through the 'darkness of adversity' and into the 'light of day.' Indeed, two of the oldest translations of the bible consider the name as such — the Latin Vulgate bible translated the name as Diem "day", while the Greek Septuagint uses Hemeran (Ἡμέραν) "day".* But let's not abandon the dove just yet. There is another strong theory that suggests that Jemima does mean dove, but not from Hebrew, but from the Arabic word yamama (الحمامة) "dove". It has been noted that Job and his family lived in the "land of Uz" which has been placed in Arabia, and this Arabic connection is one of the main reasons why some scholars list the meaning of Jemima as dove. Furthermore, there is a fabled Arabic land of the name Jemama / Yemama ("dove") which is said to have been either named after an Arabic queen of the same name*, or, as one folklore has it, Jemima herself*. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance* makes a link between the route-word yom (יוֹם) "day" and its core meaning of "warm," and the Hebrew yonah (יוֹנָה) "dove". A connection is made between warmth, affection and doves, "apparently from the warmth of their mating"*, but the lingual connection is not made clear nor substantiated. |
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Usage: |
Jemima came into use in Britain after the Protestant Reformation. The usage was steady, though not particularly popular, and was often used alongside Keziah and Keren-Happuch, the other daughters of Job. The name grew in the late 18th century, and saw a particular peak in popularity during the Victorian era. The 1841 UK census lists 17,298 individuals named Jemima. By the 1901 UK census, the figure had risen to 22,616. The name saw a decline in the 20th century. In 1996 the name ranked #228 in England and Wales with 177 births, and by 2008 it had risen slightly to #157 with 339 births. In 2010, the name ranked #188 with 267 births. The variant spelling Jemimah is on a steady upward curve: in 2000 it ranked #930 with 23 births, and #664 in 2010 with 56 births. Jemima is becoming almost isolated specifically to this side of the Atlantic due to connotations with a brand of syrup (and connected racial stereotype) in the US which affects its growth in popularity there. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Jemima Nicholas (1775 — 1832) was a famous Welsh woman who heroically led the women of Fishguard to capture French soldiers in the "last invasion of Britain" Literature and Media: * Jemima Puddleduck is a character created by Beatrix Potter. Contemporary: * Jemima Khan (b.1974) is a British writer and UNICEF ambassador. |
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Variants: |
Yemima (Hebrew) Jemimah |
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Pronunciation: |
jə-MĪ-mə (UK) ye-MEE-ma (Hebrew) [key] |
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Possible diminutives: |
Emmy, Jemma, Jemmie, Mamie, Mia, Mimi, Minnie, Mya |
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Sibling Names: |
Tabitha Verity Keziah Beatrice Emmeline Constance |
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Name Lists: |
Vintage Victorian Darlings Gorgeously Georgian Popular Biblical Birds |
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This post was revised July 2012.
