Jemmie

Meaning & origin

Jemmie first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1919 and saw its peak in 1936, during an era when diminutive names like Mamie and Johnnie were common. Despite its stable trajectory over recent decades, the name has never returned to the rankings, remaining a rare choice. While historically versatile, Jemmie today is almost exclusively given to girls, reflecting the broader shift of -ie endings toward feminine use.

Jemmie is a diminutive form of Jemima, itself an English adaptation of the Hebrew name Yemimah meaning 'dove,' or of James, the English form of Jacob. In the early 20th century it was occasionally used as an independent given name, particularly in the United States. Its use peaked in the 1930s and has since become rare, reflecting a broader trend of diminutives falling out of fashion.