Message: "Betsy and Jemima"

[Opinions] Betsy and Jemima

by Catzor (brilliantblue)

11/8/2011, 8:19 PM

So I'm falling hard for the names Betsy and Jemima. I think they're feminine and sweet, old-fashioned and unique. However, my friends are telling me that Betsy is a cow and Jemima is a syrup. Do you think that the names can overcome those stereotypes and be usable? If you think they're usable, what names would you pair them with? Thanks!

#Betsy #Jemima

Replies

- Alcyone

11/10/2011, 7:40 PM

Bessie reminds me of Bessie the Cow, but a cow isn't what I think of when I hear Betsy. I think that Betsy is usable. Jemima does remind me of syrup, though.

- MackenzieLovesYou (guest)

11/9/2011, 4:37 PM

I don't particularly like Jemima, but Betsy is cute, and it would be really great as a nickname for Elizabeth

Elizabeth Paisley "Betsy" (this used to be my favourite combo)
Elizabeth Yolande "Betsy"
Elizabeth Yolanda "Betsy"
Elizabeth Brooke "Betsy"
Elizabeth Megan "Betsy"
Elizabeth Marie "Betsy"

- thetxbelle (guest)

11/9/2011, 12:05 PM

Betsy is perfectly fine, I know two and they've never had a bad reaction to their name (that I know of). However, Jemima is too tied into the syrup brand for me to take seriously, at least in the US. Maybe it's not an issue in other countries?

- Llewella (penguiny7)

11/9/2011, 5:50 AM

Betsy is cute, and I think would be fine. I've known a few Betsys my age and none of them had any issues that I saw. I wouldn't think it's moved much further down the cow spectrum in the last 25 years. I would use Betsy as a nn though, despite its possible cow-ish-ness. If there was trouble, she'd still have Elizabeth and a billion other nn options. And you know, I don't see anything wrong with a "cow name" anyway. What's wrong with cows? They're fun.

Jemima, on the other hand, I would never use in the US. It's too syrup and racial stereotype here. It took me months to get over that and be able to like it anyway. Jemima Catherine is my only combo with it as a mn, which I suppose is boring but I like it. I love Agnes Jemima. I think Jemima would be awesome with any Puritan type names too. It has that colonial-nostalgic feel like that.

This message was edited 11/9/2011, 5:51 AM

- Billina +2

11/9/2011, 4:45 AM

I think Betsy is fine, but Jemima reminds me of racist caricatures. I would avoid it.

- Anneza +1

11/10/2011, 5:15 AM

Here in South Africa we know a bit about racist caricatures, but of course we didn't have the same slavery problem as you - there were some slaves here, but they came from the East Indies (in the main; possibly a few West Africans but not enough to gatecrash the statistics) and the image seems to have been completely different. The original African inhabitants of South Africa didn't fit the cheerfully singing plantation worker stereotype at all - I imagine that's what sinks poor Jemima? Because all I think of is the daughter of Richard Goldsmith, the wife of Imran Khan, the little bit on the side of Hugh Grant ... not quite the same! The image she gives to Jemima is trendy, attractive, distinctive and wealthy. Oh, and white but multicultural!

- Billina

11/10/2011, 5:31 AM

When I hear Jemima, I think of a big, black lady with a rag tied over her head. Think Mammy from "Gone With the Wind." It's interesting to think that some cultures have a completely different visual, because that's the one that's been planted in my head.

- Betsabé (betsabe)

11/9/2011, 4:01 AM

I go by Betsy and I'm not a cow! ;-)

Seriously though, really cute names, I love them together.

- Evie. (augustbugx)

11/9/2011, 3:48 AM

I adore Betsy, and i really like Jemima !

- Pink Princess

11/9/2011, 2:36 AM

I LOVE the name Jemima, but my DH isn't a fan. I think it's definitely a usable name.

Betsy is cute, though I prefer it as a nn for Elisabeth, rather than a full name.

- insane romantic

11/9/2011, 12:19 AM

I think Betsy is cute but I wouldn't use it as a full name. If it as short for Elizabeth, she would at least have other nicknames to fall back on if Betsy was too cutesey for an adult.

I don't get the Jemima/syrup thing. I like Jemima too, but I don't get the same vibe as Betsy.

- Phoebe (Kate)

11/8/2011, 11:35 PM

I really like Betsy and Jemima, and I think they are usable.

- Anneza

11/8/2011, 9:58 PM

I think that's just silly. Betsy and Jemima were human long before they were farm animals or products. And nor can I imagine people looking at a baby, a toddler, a schoolgirl, an adult and seeing anything other than what is right in front of their eyes.

For both names, I think you could open any of the Anne of Green Gables books (or Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, or the early Pollyannas) and find inspiration. Daisy, Caroline, Susan (updated to Suzanne?), Anne, Belinda ...

I've always liked the idea of Nancy, Betsy, Lindsey and Topsy. But it's the guiltiest of pleasures ... actually, another GP of mine is Paisley, and she'd fit in there rather well. Perhaps I could treat myself to phantom quintuplets!

For the record, I'd use Elizabeth for official purposes and keep Betsy as a nn.

- Ismene (Madyson)

11/8/2011, 8:57 PM

I really LOVE both of them!

I went to school with a Betsy (now mid 20s) and she didn't seem to ever have a problem with her name. And Jemima could easily go by Jemma if she ever felt the namesake were too overpowering.

Betsy Marigold is my favorite Betsy combo (even though I know it's a bit cutesy)

Jemima Rhian was the first combo to pop into my head

- I_Love_Jesus (guest) +1

11/8/2011, 8:29 PM

sweet underused names. great alternatives to trendy emma or sophia

- Antique_Cherub

11/9/2011, 7:22 PM

I totally agree

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