British Baby Names

Name of the Week

 

An affectionate Italian name that exploded into life in the 80s as
a contemporary of Emma and Jenna.

  

Origin:

1. From the Latin gemma meaning "gem," "jewel," or "bud." It is one of the names for the brightest star in the constellation Corona Borealis, the "Northern Crown," literally representing the jewel in the crown. 2. A medieval vernacular English form of James.

Usage:

In Medieval Italy, Gemma was used as a pet name for women. In the Florence Catasto of 1427-29 there are 11 women named Gemma listed, alongside other gem-stone names such as Ambra, Diamante and Esmeralda*. A famous example from this time is Gemma di Manetto Donati, the wife of poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). In 12th and 13th century Britain, however, Gem or Jem can be found in frequent use as a pet-form of James. A few intriguing examples of Gemma, Gemme, Jemma and Jimme suggest that Gemma was once the vernacular English form of James. Even more intriguing is the usage for both men and women. In 13th century Assize Rolls we find, for example, Jimme wife of Robert (1286) and Gemme brother of Gilbert (1251)*.  The derived surnames Gem and Gemson survive from this period, but Gemma's usage as as girl's name all but fell out of use. A few rare examples can be found from the 17th and 18th century, which may be influenced by the Latin term, but they could also represent Gemima, a spelling variant Jemima. The name didn't really come into use again until the 19th century when a handful of registrations occur across the decades. Most certainly, some of them are representative of Italian heritage due to a higher rate of immigration.  Gemma particularly grew in the late 1930s when its usage, although small, became consistent every year. From 1935 to 1945 the name averages 5 registrations every year, compared to the average 3 registrations every decade from 1840 to 1900. This increased usage occurred around the time of the beatification of Gemma Galgani in 1933, which was most likely a factor.  The name grew in popularity from the 1940s onwards. In 1974 the name did not rank in the Top 100 in England and Wales but by 1984, the name had risen remarkably to #3, with variant Jemma at #56. The most likely explanation for such a meteoric rise lies in the huge popularity of similar-sounding Emma. In 1964 Emma also did not rank in the Top 100, but by 1974 it had shot up to #4. In 1984 it was still at #4, alongside Gemma at #3 and Jenna at #45. In 1994 Gemma ranked at #36 and Jemma at #99. Both names have seen a consistent decline since then. In 2010 Gemma ranked #354 with 128 births; Jemma was at #896 with 39 births.  In Scotland the name's decline has been much more gradual, and sustained Top 100 status well into the 2000s. In 1997 Gemma was #38 with 159 births, and was still in the Top 100 by 2008 when it ranked #73. In 2011 the name ranked #161 with 26 births.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Gemma di Manetto Donati was the wife of famous 13th century Italian poet Dante Alighieri. * St Gemma Galgani (1878 — 1903) was an Italian mystic who was canonised in 1940.  Contemporary: * There are several contemporary actresses with the name including: Gemma Arterton, Gemma Atkinson, Gemma Craven, Jemima "Jemma" Redgrave, Gemma Jones and Gemma Ward. * Jemma Kidd (b.1979) is a renowned makeup artist; sister of supermodel Jodie Kidd, and wife of the Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornigton.

Variants:

Jemma

Pronunciation:

JEM-ə (UK) [key]

Sibling Names:

Lauren      Abigail     Claire     Sarah     Amber     Holly  Mark     Nicholas     Adam     Joshua     Callum     Matthew

Name Lists:

Astronomical Names   Names of Roses

 

If you like Gemma you may also like:   Jenna, Emma, Gwen, Clara, Laura, Pippa, Sienna, Joanna, Della, Minna

 

June Names

It's summer!  Or, at least, it will be soon, as the end of June officially marks the beginning of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. 

 

June

The month's name derives from the goddess Juno, the queen of the Roman pantheon who presided over marriage and childbirth. Her name is connected to youthfulness and, ultimately, is thought to descend from the Indo-European root *yeu- meaning "vital force," linking her nicely with her role in childbirth. The Roman names Junia and Junius were also derivatives used for the gens who claimed descent from the goddess.

June has many continental translations, including: Červen (Czech), Juin (French), Juni (German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish), Junio (Spanish), Metheven (Old Cornish), Mehefin (Welsh), Mezheven (Breton) and Meitheamh (Irish).

 

Sailing in Gentle Winds

The Anglo-Saxons called June Ærra Liða and July Æfterra Liða. Ærra more literally translates as "before" or "preceding", while Liða, or Litha, is often thought to represent Midsummer i.e. "before Midsummer". However, the great cleric Bede tells us that "Litha means gentle or navigable, because in both those months the calm breezes are gentle and they were wont to sail upon the smooth sea." In support of Bede's theory we find that the Old English adjective liðe means "soft, gentle, meek, mild, serene," while the verb liðan means "to sail." Encompass the two together and we have a highly plausible theory, especially in an age when sailing was the most efficient way to travel great distances, and its use for trade was essential. 

There are many names that have a meaning cognate with Litha. The word mild comes from the Old English milde,  which was used as an element in many Anglo-Saxon names such as Mildred, Mildrith, Milburga, Milda, Mildgith and Mildwynn. Clemency derives from the Latin clemens "calm, gentle" and is found in the names Clement, Clémence, Clementia, Clementina, Clementine, Clementius and Klemen. The Old Germanic linde is found as an element in the names Dietlinde, Ermelinda, Gerlinde, Linda, Rosalind and Sieglinde; the Japanese yu is found in names such as Mayu, Miyu, Yui, Yuko, Yuuta and Yuzuki.

Other "gentle names include: Gareth (Welsh), Hellä, Vieno (Finnish), Latif, Lutfi, Rafiq (Arabic), Tryphena and Tryphosa (Greek). 

Sailing-related names are less abundant, but we can find a few offerings. Sailor is the most literal: a name that has found usage in recent years, particularly in the US. Saint Erasmus, or Saint Elmo as he is sometimes known, is the patron saint of sailors, while Njord was the Norse god of sailing. The constellation Argo Navis (the ship) is divided up into Carina (the keel), Puppis (the stern) and Vela (the sail). It was named after the Argo, the famous ship of Jason in Greek mythology. 

 

Summer 

In many other countries June is known as the "summer" or "midsummer" month. There's Mehefin in Welsh (and the related Celtic terms), Kesäkuu in Finnish and Zomermaand in Dutch. And it isn't surprising, given that Midsummer occurs in late June.  

Since 2008, Summer has sat in the Top 30 girls names in England and Wales, spiking, appropriately, in June and July. The Welsh haf has been used in many modern Welsh names since the early 20th century. Haf has been well used for girls in Wales, particularly as a middle name with Hefin, Hefina, Hafod, Hafwen as derivatives.

Other summer names include: Suvi (Finnish), Udane (Basque), Behar, Vera (Albanian), Natsuki and Natsumi (Japanese).

 

Fallow

The Old Germanic, and Carolingian, names for June was Brach monat or Brach-mond "fallow month." Fallow refers to ploughed land that has been left unsown for a short period in order to restore its fertility and, in medieval Europe, June was a time when follow fields were ploughed.  

Fallow is used as a surname in Britain while Fallowfield, also a surname, appears as a firstname in the 19th century. Another British surname, Leland, derives from the Old English læge land "fallow land", most commonly used for boys thanks to Leland Stanford.  The German term, Brach, is also found as a surname in many countries. 

 

Symbols

Pearl is the birthstone for June: a symbol of unblemished perfection. Its usage in art goes back centuries, so it's no wonder that pearls provide name inspiration across the globe. Examples include Bisera in Bulgarian, Helmi in Finnish, Jumana and Lu'lu in Arabic, Perla in Italian and Spanish, Perle in Yiddish and Shinju in Japanese.
The most famous "pearl" name is Margaret, which derives from the Latin Margarita, via the Greek Margarites (from which we also get the Hebrew Margalit), and, ultimately, the Persian Morvarid. Some of Margaret's many variants are Magali (Provencial), Mairead (Scottish), Margaux, Marguerite (French), Marit (Swedish), Mererid (Welsh) and Merete (Danish).

The Rose is June's birth flower, which, like the pearl, has a long history of symbolism, and its use as a first name is well established in many languages. Rose has been in the Top 100 in England and Wales since 2007, having dropped after 1940 when it was overtaken by the variant Rosemary. The traditional diminutive Rosie has been in the Top 100 since the early 90s. Rose can be taken from many longer forms such as Rosalia, Rosalie, Rosalind, Rosalinda, Rosaline, Rosamund, Rosanna, Rosella, Rosetta and Rosina.
In other languages there are many translations used as feminine first names: Bryluen, Rosen (Cornish), Gul (Turkish), Kolab (Khmer), Nasrin (Iranian), Raisa (Yiddish), Rhoda (Greek), Rhosyn (Welsh), Rois, Roisin (Irish), Rosa (Latin), Rozenn (Breton), Vardo (Georgian) and Vered (Hebrew). 

Gemini, "the twins", is the astrological sign that runs from May 20 - June 20. The name has seen occasionally use as a first name; in recent years it has most often been used for girls in Britain. The constellation represents the Dioscuri in Greek mythology: Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux in Latin), the twin sons of Zeus. Coincidentally, the two figures are further related June with a connection to sailing (as referenced above) and, in particular, the phenomena of St Elmo's fire. The two were considered the patron as sailors. In the epic of the Argonauts it was said that stars appeared on the heads of Castor and Pollux during the voyage and, from that time, sailors believed that St. Elmo's fire was actually Castor and Pollux coming to protect them during a storm.

 

Name Days

Many different countries have names associated with days of the year; most often they are the feast days of saints. Below are some of the names associated with the days in June around the world. 

1 = Justin, Konrad, Nicomedes, Roman, Silka, Simeon
2 = Blandina, Erasmus, Eugene, Peter
3 = Clotilde, Karl, Kevin, Silvia
4 = Afra, Cyprian, Lenka, Martha, Toivo
5 = Bo, Boniface, Eloisa, Igor, Nicanor
6 = Aldric, Bertrand, Gustav, Jarlath, Norbert, Paulina
7 = Colm, Gilbert, Luciana, Robert, Suvi
8 = Frida, Kalliope, Medard, Syra
9 = Alexander, Edmund, Ephraim, Felix, Gita
10 = Amalia, Diana, Heinrich, Margaret
11 = Alice, Barnabas, Bruno, Flora
12 = Eskil, Guy, John, Rufus, Ternan
13 = Anthony, Felicola, Leo, Monika
14 = Eliseus / Eliseo, Felix, Kielo, Valerian
15 = Bernard, Germaine, Jolanta, Vid / Vito / Vitus
16 = Aureus, Benno, Julitta, Justina, Regis, Tycho
17 = Adolf, Alida, Avitus, Eugen, Laura
18 = Bjorn, Elizabeth, Henry, Marcus, Marina
19 = Juliana, Margaret, Romuald, Sebastian
20 = Crispin, Florentina, Rafael, Regina, Silverius
21 = Aloysius, Raul / Ralph / Rudolf, Terence
22 = Alban, Paul, Paula, Paulina, Thomas
23 = Alice, Audrey, Edeltraud, Vanda, Zenon
24 = Bartholomew, Emilia, John
25 = Dorothea, Eleonore, Luan, Maximus, Proper, William
26 = Adriana, David, Leo, Vigil
27 = Cyril, Elvira, Fernand, Hilary
28 = Amos, Beata, Leo, Leon
29 = Emma, Peter, Paul
30 = Adele, Apostol, Otto, Martial