Which girl's name? Ramona, Jemima or Greta?

**meow** · April 13th, 2014, 04:29 AM

Well, I didn't expect as much love for Ramona to be honest. That's great! I think Ramona makes a tonne of cool nicknames, I think I'd call her Romy most of the time. But the other names don't really lend themselves to as many nicknames which I like. Which isn't a big issue- my boys don't have names that really spin off to obvious nicknames and they're fine.

I also like to look at name meanings. They're not deal breakers for me but Ramona wins that, meaning "wise protector". Jemima means "dove" and Greta means "pearl".

They're are all great names though, I think I could be happy with any of them

**Tegam** · April 13th, 2014, 08:42 AM

See Romy is lovely!!!!!

**Mrs O'M** · April 13th, 2014, 10:29 AM

I love all 3!! Jemima and Greta are both on our short list, but Ramona Rose sounds lovely and I really like the nickname you have picked for that one. So not much help from me

**Ginger** · April 13th, 2014, 04:37 PM

Love the nickname romy

**Rowellen** · April 14th, 2014, 09:35 AM

That's a tough one. I like them all. I chose Greta though based on your middle name choices.

**Lily Dust** · April 14th, 2014, 02:47 PM

Jemima!!!

Can be shortened to Mima or Mimey. Heard a older lady named Jemima the other day and her nickname was Jimmy.

**meow** · April 15th, 2014, 01:09 AM

Jimmy is a game changer... I've mostly been flip-flopping with Ramona and Jemima and now that brings Jemima right in the game!

I think Greta is out. I'm really drawn to the other two. Hmmm...

**meow** · April 15th, 2014, 04:51 AM

Erk. So Jemima isn't a popular name in the states because Aunt Jemima is a very famous brand of pancake mixes. Not a big deal right? Problem is Aunt Jemima is an older african-american woman and the term 'aunt jemima' is used derogatively to imply someone is acting as an african-american in servitude.

We're not planning on staying in the states for more than a couple more years but this child will have dual-citizenship so their name may be important to them here. Argh. What to do? I'm really loving the name at the moment. I keep thinking of Jemima Puddle Duck

**meow** · April 15th, 2014, 11:45 AM

Help me out peeps!!! Do you use a name that people think is racist??

I'm on a Jemima obsession right now.

**Rowellen** · April 15th, 2014, 12:08 PM

If you are planning to leave the US, then I would ignore their issue with the name and choose the name I liked best. However if you think there is a possibility you will be there long term even though it's not planned now, maybe reconsider. A name isn't racist. People are. I personally would avoid a name that might cause my child angst in the future. That would count Jemima out for me if I thought my child might end up going to school in the US. How bad is this problem? I've never heard of it before but I must admit, I've never been to the US and don't really keep up with the news either. Maybe ask some people that live there what they think of the name?

**meow** · April 15th, 2014, 12:26 PM

I saw mention of it not being popular because of the pancake brand on a name website and I asked my close friend who lives here. She told me about the racist connections and she remembers it being as a racial slur quite a bit in the 80s. Checked on US name forum and wikipedia and yes, there is quite a strong link to it being used to describe someone as a slave who panders to white people and it being used as a racist slur. *sigh*

I can't stop thinking of cute Jemima Puddle Duck! And the lovely little Jemima on Playschool.

**Ginger** · April 15th, 2014, 07:18 PM

How well known is the aunty jemima thing? Have you got more than one person's perspective on it in America? Or it could be just their opinion iykwim?

**Tegam** · April 15th, 2014, 07:31 PM

One of my closest friends growing up was jemima, don't let it worry you that we called her jemima vagina often, it was said with love

**Lily Dust** · April 15th, 2014, 07:59 PM

I think of Jemima Puddleduck too

I'm not in the US but hadn't heard of the Aunt Jemima thing until I started looking on EBay for 'Jemima' things. Honestly, every name comes with something that someone will find! I remember someone saying oh Jemima sounds like Jermaine and I'd name a boy that

**meow** · April 16th, 2014, 01:36 AM

How well known is the aunty jemima thing? Have you got more than one person's perspective on it in America? Or it could be just their opinion iykwim?

No it's a big deal. the Aunt Jemima brand is massive and everyone knows it and everyone has a very negative response to it as an offensive name. I asked my friend to give an actual example of how it is used and she remembers it more as a school yard slur used against larger girls with dark skin. So there was a racist connection there in that white girls were never called Aunt Jemima but it also seems a bit school yard petty to me. I need to question the forums more I think for a very broad overview that I can't get from asking just people around me.

One of my closest friends growing up was jemima, don't let it worry you that we called her jemima vagina often, it was said with love

Well that doesn't really help the case for Jemima

Throwing Henrietta into the mix now...

**Ginger** · April 17th, 2014, 04:37 PM

I like Ramona more than Henrietta.

**meow** · April 30th, 2014, 05:05 AM

Okay... I think Greta and Jemima are off the list. Which leaves Ramona and I'm still very drawn to it.

But how about Maisy? I'm not sure how it didn't make the top three before as it's been a favourite for years and years too.

ETA: *sigh* Just remembered that Maisy rhymes with our surname so it doesn't really work.

**Tegam** · April 30th, 2014, 08:26 AM

Honestly how many times do you say your first name with your last. My mum didnt call me Hannah as it didnt sound nice with our last name. I actually like it and changed my surname to married name by the time I was 25... I LOVE MAISY AND DAISY