I managed to find myself in the middle of a name discussion in the middle of a church potluck today (because if not me, then who?! ), and one of the ladies was sharing that she had a good friend whose middle name was Jemima.
Itās interesting to see how the forums have changed, because Jemima was a hot-button name back then, well loved by British berries, but considered unusable by many American ones (this was over a decade ago - man, Iām one old Berry!). Since she virtually doesnāt get mentioned at all on these forums - Iād love to get a fresh take on her. She feels like such a lovely, vintage Bible name with charming ties to Beatrix Potter, but I am sensitive to the racial problems that Jemima has posed in the past, and certainly wouldnāt want to offend or hurt anyone. Just curious in 2025, is Jemima usable? Does making her a middle name help? Just curious about the current climate of the name, since it hasnāt been talked about in so long!
Thanks, berries!
ETA: Editing to add a poll to the original post; since creating this thread, Iāve spoken to some of my black friends and was surprised by how welcoming they were to the idea of Jemima being used. I still feel pretty strongly that I would not have the guts to use it up front, but Iām still trying to wrap my head around if America is ready for Jemima as a middle, potentially? My friends unanimously were in support of the idea of it being used there, which is what is making me do a double-take at this point. Would love to hear your thoughts on how usable Jemima is, particularly as a middle, either in the poll or below! Thank you!
Jemima is perfectly usable as a middle name!
Jemima is fine as a middle, but I wouldnāt consider her as a first.
As a non American berry Iām not sure my opinion is the one youāre searching for, but I think [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] is really cute. [name_f]My[/name_f] 19 month old loves [name_m]Peter[/name_m] Rabbit so Iāve been seeing it a lot lately and it is really sweet. [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] as nickname could also be cute.
I think [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] is very sweet, but I live in the southern US. I wouldnāt use it. Not because I donāt think it should be used, but because I would worry about someone saying something negative to her and thatās not fair to a child.
Being in the US with a family history of the name (predating the syrup), I would be hesitant to use the name. [name_f][/name_f] Donāt get me wrong, I absolutely love it and would love to use it. [name_f][/name_f] I would just be worried about what someone would say to a child with [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] as a name. [name_f][/name_f] I think it will take a few more generations (and the generations who associate it negatively) dying off before we can think of using the name again here safely, unfortunately.
For me, itās a Jewish name. [name_f][/name_f] I love it. [name_f][/name_f] Also, it my area of [name_m]Maine[/name_m], where my folks came from, [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] āMimaā [name_m]Robbins[/name_m] was one of the first settlers of Union (Seven [name_m]Tree[/name_m] Pond), made famous in [name_m]Ben[/name_m] [name_m]Ames[/name_m] Williamsās novel Come [name_f]Spring[/name_f]. [name_f][/name_f] [name_f]Mima[/name_f] or [name_f]Jemma[/name_f] or [name_m]Jemmie[/name_m] are cute nns.
I know three Jemimas - all under 20 - but this is in Australia, where is has, for most, Brit storybook connotations. They all get Mime - as in Myme/ Mimie as in Mymie/ Mima, and the occasional Jem.
I canāt comment on the American perception of the name [name_f][/name_f]- though it was given to 54 girls last year there, so itās not not[name_f][/name_f] being used?
[name_f][/name_f]
As someone in the UK, I love [name_f]Jemima[/name_f]! [name_m]Bright[/name_m] and sparky, yet warm and cosy too. I find it sits well with the slightly clunkier classics (Harriet, [name_f]Henrietta[/name_f], [name_f]Phillipa[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f], [name_f]Enid[/name_f], Wilhelmina), along with some more eclectic, spikey and international choices (Keziah, [name_f]Saskia[/name_f], [name_f]Miranda[/name_f], [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f], [name_f]Indigo[/name_f], Vita) plus with grounded, popular options (Flora, [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f], Annabelle). I love nicknames [name_m]Jem[/name_m], [name_f]Mimi[/name_f], [name_f]Mim[/name_f], and [name_m]Jemmy[/name_m] too
I adore [name_f]Jemima[/name_f]. Itās a gorgeous name. But Iām in the UK, and for us the name is more associated with [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] Puddleduck from [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] novels. So it is not likely it would be a burden for a child living here. I canāt comment on the US, but I would say someone has to start using it in a more positive way in order to start it shedding its negative associations. Maybe a writer should create a very positive character called [name_f]Jemima[/name_f]. It would be a start!
As a [name_m]Brit[/name_m] I honestly donāt know the context of why itās sensitive in the US (and should probably go and educate myself). I love [name_f]Jemima[/name_f], agree with the above that in the UK itās 100% [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] Puddleduck, slightly prim and Victorian, maybe cottagecore. [name_m]Jem[/name_m] or [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] are both cute nns.
[name_f][/name_f]
The only reason itās not on my list is that I am going to name my first daughter [name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] and since sheās also a [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] name, they would be too matchy together
Personally love [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] if [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] didnāt have to travel and could remain outside the states
[name_f][/name_f]
However Iām a [name_f]British[/name_f] berry [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] is very usable and used especially upper crust [name_f]British[/name_f] people. I know an 11 year old [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] and I do hear of Jemimaās still the name isnāt overly popular within the UK ranking at #433[name_f][/name_f]. Despite this ranking [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] doesnāt feel surprising or rare and I think for [name_f]British[/name_f] berries this would be a similar thought process. I think [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] sounds warm, has gorgeous imagery helped by [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] [name_m]Potter[/name_m], sweet nickname potential of [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] & [name_m]Jem[/name_m] and a feeling of tranquility provided by the meaning ādoveā.
[name_f][/name_f]
What puts me of [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] is that she doesnāt travel well within the USA the racial connotations surrounding [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] just feel heightened providing potential awkwardness to the wearer of the name. I wouldnāt want to use a name that could trigger, cause offence or be related to something negative/a negative part of history in a way that [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] is.
[name_m]Ah[/name_m] yes, I remember the [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] debates of yore!
[name_f][/name_f]
I tend to shy away from the names that could cause offense, so it would be off the table for me. That said, Iām not sure how long people will remains aware of the controversial association (for better or for worse) ā a quick Google tells me the brand changed its name/logo in 2021. [name_f][/name_f] I would assume a [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] in the US was named for the Biblical connotations more than anything else.
I have been involved in the name community since the 2000s. I am an American and I remember seeing it on a lot of American namenerdsā lists. Maybe it is a Gen Z thing? I have never heard of Americans thinking this name is unusable.
I love Jemima(h). I think itās adorable. I think of an aristocratic British woman. It has sweet short form options and I love the meaning and I like how it sounds like gem at the beginning.
Thank you everyone! [name_f][/name_f] I appreciate the candor. [name_f][/name_f] Part of me wants to say, but well, in [name_m]Christian[/name_m] circles? But I know someone born into a [name_m]Christian[/name_m] circle isnāt necessarily going to stay there, and certainly doesnāt stay sequestered there for all aspects of their lives! [name_f][/name_f] I probably would have only used it as a middle, but I wonder if that is still too much for the current cultural climate. [name_f][/name_f] Does the Hebrew [name_f]Yemima[/name_f] come across as more usable, I wonder?
I wouldnāt personally use it, but I (on the U.S. west coast) [name_f][/name_f] do know a 19-year-old [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] and sheās never had any issues with it. In fact, she often gets compliments on her name
As an Australian, I never understood why [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] was seen as taboo. Itās my SILās name (sheās 23), and itās always seemed like a perfectly normal name to me.
Funny story, yesterday I discovered thereās a [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] that works for the same company I do [name_f][/name_f] I was like, āWhat are the oddsā LOL
[name_f][/name_f]
Iāve spoken with several of my black friends about it, and was a little surprised how open to it they are; some were very familiar with the association but still thought [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] was a beautiful name and worthy of being used. [name_f][/name_f] Iām still mulling it over, the associations donāt seem to be as vehemently strong this time around, and the perspective of my friends is definitely making me think harder about it than I wouldāve otherwise. [name_f][/name_f] I donāt really like it enough for a first name, but Iām wondering if it seems much more palatable as a middle?
[name_f][/name_f][name_f][/name_f]
100% fair. [name_f][/name_f] I think outside of the US, [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] remains a lovely, uncontroversial name! [name_f][/name_f] There is a pancake brand in the US which was formerly known as āAunt Jemimaā whose logo was based on racist stereotypes when slavery was still legal [name_f][/name_f]- the image, from my understanding, was taken from a minstrel show that had a character that fit the same stereotype Aunt [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] was portrayed as, a heavier black woman, happily enslaved, happy to serve her master. [name_f][/name_f] In 2021, I believe, they renamed their company & updated the logo, admitting the racist origins and apologizing to the public. [name_f][/name_f] Iāve become very fond of [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] myself over the past several months [name_f][/name_f]- she feels like such a refreshing and lovely Biblical and vintage choice! [name_f][/name_f]- but if the overall reception is still mostly negative, I obviously wouldnāt want to use it.
Non-American berry here! (Little island dweller lol)
Jemima is usable to me personally. Besides from popularity leaning towards more nickname names, unusual names and berry names where i live (names popular on Nameberry and on forums), Jemima would be a name that would fit very comfortably and make people happy to hear (if that makes sense?)
Itās very pleasant in terms of sound: the repeated āmā sound in particular, i think. The gentle, old fashioned nature of it is appealing also, especially since its quite uncommon.
I have a friend whose past name was Jemima(h) and honestly i was head over heels for how gorgeous it was! But, then again Iām a British Berry so Iām not sure if this helps or not
I dont see how Jemima would be polarizing. If theres any negative connotations making polarizing, or certain difficulties with the name itself Iām not aware of sorry
), and one of the ladies was sharing that she had a good friend whose middle name was Jemima.
[name_f][/name_f] I was like, āWhat are the oddsā LOL
