New Post
Search
HelpTomima
Recently I've come across the girls' name Tomima. It sparked my interest so I couldn't resist looking it up. Well, at least I tried. Turns out there is not much info to be found on this name, neither in my name books nor on the internet. So I'd surmise it's rather rare? Is it?
What I did find out, though, is that Tomima seems to have originated in the Orkney Islands. Now, seeing as the Orkneys have quite a bit of Scandinavian history and Scandinavian connections, I'd tend to think that Tomima might be the Orcadian form of Norwegian Tomine. (Maybe this thread should go on the name facts board as well...)
So anyway, what do you think of Tomima?
Do you think it's "usable"? How rare is it really, I mean, have you ever come across this name before?
Oh, and how would you pronounce Tomima?
Thanks in advance!
What I did find out, though, is that Tomima seems to have originated in the Orkney Islands. Now, seeing as the Orkneys have quite a bit of Scandinavian history and Scandinavian connections, I'd tend to think that Tomima might be the Orcadian form of Norwegian Tomine. (Maybe this thread should go on the name facts board as well...)
So anyway, what do you think of Tomima?
Do you think it's "usable"? How rare is it really, I mean, have you ever come across this name before?
Oh, and how would you pronounce Tomima?
Thanks in advance!
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
Fascinating. I've never seen it before. There have been 9 born in England between 1850 and 1930, all in the North of England. (Sorry, I don't have access to Scottish records) I had a poke around and came up with the page from the lingerie lady pointing me to Orkney, and then umpteen Orcadian genealogies with Tomimas in. No useful info really. The Tomine / Tomina / Tomima via Jemima theory seems plausible to me, but you'd probably need doctoral funding to prove it!
Nice name though, especially with all that family history attached.
Nice name though, especially with all that family history attached.
1
It goes to show just how much of a "freak" I really am if I'd actually enjoy getting paid for researching the old and obscure, doesn't it? Name-wise, I mean. Unearthing long lost treasures of the realm of names. Kind of like a lesser Indiana Jones ;)
Yeah, unfortunately with Tomima every source seems to run dry pretty quickly. So thank you so much for trying to help out! :)
Yeah, unfortunately with Tomima every source seems to run dry pretty quickly. So thank you so much for trying to help out! :)
1
Oh, well, I love it, and as a nickname for Thomasina. Never come across it but I love it.
I'm gonna write an opera called Tomima.
I'm gonna write an opera called Tomima.
This message was edited 12/13/2012, 4:46 PM
1
Yeah, Tomima does sound like a name suited for an opera or perhaps an epic novel like "Les Misérables - the Scottish version", doesn't it? Maybe because it reminds me a bit of Tamino.
I'd love an opera called Tomima to be around! So go ahead, start writing! ;)
I'd love an opera called Tomima to be around! So go ahead, start writing! ;)
1
I wonder if it didn't start out as Tomina. Medieval handwriting being what it was - right u p to and including the 18th century, actually - it could easily have done what Amabel famously did, but in reverse. Tomina -> Tomima, and Amabel -> Annabel.
And, yes, the Jemima connection could lend it some appearance of authenticity, just as Anne did for Annabel. I'd also guess that it'd sound like to-MIE-ma nowadays, both from the Jemima connection and because the Scots have a traditional affection for feminising names like Andrew and Donald by affixing an -ina and making it sound like IEna.
Wherever did you find it? It's certainly new to me. Well spotted!
And, yes, the Jemima connection could lend it some appearance of authenticity, just as Anne did for Annabel. I'd also guess that it'd sound like to-MIE-ma nowadays, both from the Jemima connection and because the Scots have a traditional affection for feminising names like Andrew and Donald by affixing an -ina and making it sound like IEna.
Wherever did you find it? It's certainly new to me. Well spotted!
1
How I found her? It was the dumbest thing, really. The other day, a friend of mine and I had a girls' night in and sure enough we were talking about girl stuff. You know, that kind of thing. At some point the conversation turned to clothes and fashion in general. So one day later this friend sent me a link to some (American-based, I think) lingerie shop. And the woman who owns or runs the shop is apparently called Tomima. I instantly loved this nostalgic air I get from the name, so I started digging.
(Half an hour later I got a text message from said friend: "So did you even have a look at the products or did you start researching this poor woman's name straight away?" Oops! Busted! ;) )
Your explanation makes perfect sense to me, thank you!
Once I realized that Tomima was apparently an Orcadian name, I got so caught up in this "Scandinavian connection" idea of mine that it didn't even occur to me Tomima could have taken the same route as Annabel, just in the opposite direction.
By the way, at first I thought Tomima might be a mash-up of Thomas and Jemima. But when I dug a little deeper, all of a sudden I was wading knee-deep in old census records, most of them from the Orkney Islands, fewer from the Shetland Islands and some decades later the odd American document appeared (usually with some Scottish "connection" there).
As for the pronunciation, my first instinct said to-MIE-ma, too. Then I started over-thinking this whole thing and ended up confusing myself ;)
But wait, you mean Andrewina (there were tons of them!) would be pronounced Andrew-IE-na? Interesting! I never knew that, I always thought it was EE-na. You learn something new every day. Thanks!
(Half an hour later I got a text message from said friend: "So did you even have a look at the products or did you start researching this poor woman's name straight away?" Oops! Busted! ;) )
Your explanation makes perfect sense to me, thank you!
Once I realized that Tomima was apparently an Orcadian name, I got so caught up in this "Scandinavian connection" idea of mine that it didn't even occur to me Tomima could have taken the same route as Annabel, just in the opposite direction.
By the way, at first I thought Tomima might be a mash-up of Thomas and Jemima. But when I dug a little deeper, all of a sudden I was wading knee-deep in old census records, most of them from the Orkney Islands, fewer from the Shetland Islands and some decades later the odd American document appeared (usually with some Scottish "connection" there).
As for the pronunciation, my first instinct said to-MIE-ma, too. Then I started over-thinking this whole thing and ended up confusing myself ;)
But wait, you mean Andrewina (there were tons of them!) would be pronounced Andrew-IE-na? Interesting! I never knew that, I always thought it was EE-na. You learn something new every day. Thanks!
1
Ooh love that
1
On paper, I really like it, never seen it before.
However, I imagine it's pronounced Tuh-me-muh... and that makes me think of a Tomatillo.
However, I imagine it's pronounced Tuh-me-muh... and that makes me think of a Tomatillo.
1
Oh my! I didn't even see this Tomima-tomato-tomatillo thing. Thanks for pointing it out! In a real life scenario that would definitely be something to consider.
1