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HelpGillian and Gemma
I have fallen in love with Gillian and Gemma. I guess I'm into G names lately. WDYT?
The thing is - I don't really like Jillian and Jemma. Jemma is alright but Jillian is not, imo. I dislike the nn Jill and I feel that a Jillian is more likely to be called Jill than a Gillian. I like Gillie, though. I just like Gemma better because it reminds me of gems. Do you think they'd often be misspelled? Especially worrying about Gillian bc Jillian used to be in the top 100 whereas Gillian was never really common.
Gillian is so medieval and nice. I think of a really pretty and nice witch :P Jillian is just not as mystical and romantic to me.
Do you know anyone named Gillian or Gemma? I heard Gemma was really common in Britain. Is Gemma getting too common in the US? Too close to Emma?
Do you see and colors or images when you hear the names? Is the image you get from the different spelling the same? Gillian vs Jillian, Gemma vs Jemma. What kind of person do you imagine?
The thing is - I don't really like Jillian and Jemma. Jemma is alright but Jillian is not, imo. I dislike the nn Jill and I feel that a Jillian is more likely to be called Jill than a Gillian. I like Gillie, though. I just like Gemma better because it reminds me of gems. Do you think they'd often be misspelled? Especially worrying about Gillian bc Jillian used to be in the top 100 whereas Gillian was never really common.
Gillian is so medieval and nice. I think of a really pretty and nice witch :P Jillian is just not as mystical and romantic to me.
Do you know anyone named Gillian or Gemma? I heard Gemma was really common in Britain. Is Gemma getting too common in the US? Too close to Emma?
Do you see and colors or images when you hear the names? Is the image you get from the different spelling the same? Gillian vs Jillian, Gemma vs Jemma. What kind of person do you imagine?
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I like both, but prefer Gemma. I wonder if American's would mispronounce it though and say it with a hard G.
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Gemma was really popular here in the 80s. I think of it as dated in the same way as, say, Leanne, and I don't like it much. I know it's got history, but it was definitely used here as a trendified Emma. It is actually a nice colour for me - a sort of rich mulberry purple - but Jemima is much more my cup of tea.
I do like Gillian, though. I've only ever met three, and they were all lovely. It's rusty orange, like chrysanthemums. I don't think we really do Jillian in the UK- I've never come across one.
I do like Gillian, though. I've only ever met three, and they were all lovely. It's rusty orange, like chrysanthemums. I don't think we really do Jillian in the UK- I've never come across one.
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Gemma is the only G name I'd call a favorite. Gemma doesn't remind me of gems. It reminds me of ripe spring buds, because of the biological term (which I encountered before I ever saw the name). It's like Chloe to me, sort of a subtle fertility-name. I'm disappointed that it seems to be a passing fad in the UK, and possibly not a very good image on it either, from what I can gather... sort of like Kayla in the US? - faddish.
I like Gillian as well - thanks for mentioning it. I added it to my longlist. I was aware of it as a name growing up, but I don't remember any bearers until Gillian Anderson got famous. So I agree, it's just a nice name. But I don't think it's witchy. I think it's just sort of "rare but normal and safe" like Claudia or Bridget.
I don't care for Jillian either - it reminds me of Ann Jillian, who's fine, but her "surname" is a gimmick, and Jillian as a first name says to me, "I don't trust anyone to be able to pronounce Gillian, all you people are stupid." And I can't stand Jemma. Jemma is like a contracted Jemima and that bothers me because Jemima is a completely different name, different like Giulia is different from Joelle.
I'm not a synaesthete, I'm just a plain old associator of sensations and images with names.
Gemma is compact and tidy and round, but has mass and fullness. Primary colors. Artistic, softspoken, but not too terribly sophisticated.
Jemma is ... uh, denim overalls and a case of the hiccups, if I see the spelling. If I only hear the name, though, it's Gemma.
I like Gillian as well - thanks for mentioning it. I added it to my longlist. I was aware of it as a name growing up, but I don't remember any bearers until Gillian Anderson got famous. So I agree, it's just a nice name. But I don't think it's witchy. I think it's just sort of "rare but normal and safe" like Claudia or Bridget.
I don't care for Jillian either - it reminds me of Ann Jillian, who's fine, but her "surname" is a gimmick, and Jillian as a first name says to me, "I don't trust anyone to be able to pronounce Gillian, all you people are stupid." And I can't stand Jemma. Jemma is like a contracted Jemima and that bothers me because Jemima is a completely different name, different like Giulia is different from Joelle.
I'm not a synaesthete, I'm just a plain old associator of sensations and images with names.
Gemma is compact and tidy and round, but has mass and fullness. Primary colors. Artistic, softspoken, but not too terribly sophisticated.
Jemma is ... uh, denim overalls and a case of the hiccups, if I see the spelling. If I only hear the name, though, it's Gemma.
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I have cousins named Gillian and Jemma :)
I like Gillian, although it is a bit dated (more to the 1950s and 1960s) here. I also only like the G spelling.
Gemma is also dated as it was really popular here (I live in the UK) in the 1980s, and I don't really like it. I guess it would be fine in the US though as it's not so common there.
I like Gillian, although it is a bit dated (more to the 1950s and 1960s) here. I also only like the G spelling.
Gemma is also dated as it was really popular here (I live in the UK) in the 1980s, and I don't really like it. I guess it would be fine in the US though as it's not so common there.
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I prefer Gemma to Gillian, but both are nice names. I like Gillian better than Jillian. While Jillian has a friendly vibe that I like, Gillian seems more sophisticated and refined. I agree that Gillian seems more romantic.
As for Gemma, no, I don't think that it's too common in the U.S. It's still outside of the top 400, but it has been rising quickly over the past few years. I'd keep a close eye on its popularity just in case; the increase could slow down, though.
Gemma might be mispronounced, but "gem" is a very well-known word, so that should help. Since Gemma is more obscure than Emma, some people will probably forget her name and call her Emma by mistake, but how often this will happen is hard to predict; it depends on the people she is around and how good they are at remembering names. I'd say it would happen at least on occasion, but I don't think that it's a reason to avoid the name completely if you really love it. People could also become confused and call her Genevieve, Jenna, Jennifer, or even Jessica. Name confusion happens even with popular and well-known names; an Adam might be called Aaron, a Matthew might be called Michael, etc.
Gemma and Gillian sound the like names of sophisticated, well-educated, and friendly girls.
As for Gemma, no, I don't think that it's too common in the U.S. It's still outside of the top 400, but it has been rising quickly over the past few years. I'd keep a close eye on its popularity just in case; the increase could slow down, though.
Gemma might be mispronounced, but "gem" is a very well-known word, so that should help. Since Gemma is more obscure than Emma, some people will probably forget her name and call her Emma by mistake, but how often this will happen is hard to predict; it depends on the people she is around and how good they are at remembering names. I'd say it would happen at least on occasion, but I don't think that it's a reason to avoid the name completely if you really love it. People could also become confused and call her Genevieve, Jenna, Jennifer, or even Jessica. Name confusion happens even with popular and well-known names; an Adam might be called Aaron, a Matthew might be called Michael, etc.
Gemma and Gillian sound the like names of sophisticated, well-educated, and friendly girls.
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I like Gillian and Gemma. Gemma is my favorite of the two, but Gillian with a 'G' has its charm. It looks medieval and romantic, just like you said.
I wouldn't worry too much about the name being misspelled, because that can happen even with a common name. My husband's name is Jeff, but people have misspelled his name, believe it or not. It's just one of those things everybody deals with at some point.
I don't know anyone named Gillian OR Gemma, but I live in the US. It might be different elsewhere.
I see both names in gold, with just a touch of rose-pink for Gillian, and a flash of rose red for Gemma. Gillian makes me think of a woman living in medieval times, having a romance she really shouldn't; maybe she is a lady-in-waiting to the queen, and is carrying on with a duke, or something. Gemma makes me think of a British girl at a boarding school, yearning to break free.
I wouldn't worry too much about the name being misspelled, because that can happen even with a common name. My husband's name is Jeff, but people have misspelled his name, believe it or not. It's just one of those things everybody deals with at some point.
I don't know anyone named Gillian OR Gemma, but I live in the US. It might be different elsewhere.
I see both names in gold, with just a touch of rose-pink for Gillian, and a flash of rose red for Gemma. Gillian makes me think of a woman living in medieval times, having a romance she really shouldn't; maybe she is a lady-in-waiting to the queen, and is carrying on with a duke, or something. Gemma makes me think of a British girl at a boarding school, yearning to break free.
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