Fun Facts About the Name Jem
- 171 babies named Jem: U.S. records list 171 babies given the name Jem from 1880 through 2025. Even 64 boys received the name Jem - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Jem Mean?
Jem is an English short form of Jeremy and James; its established meanings are "God has uplifted" in the Jeremy derivation and "supplanter" in the James derivation. It also shortens the female name Jemima. Jem has no separate root of its own, so its sense depends on the full name it stands for.
Jeremy is the English form of Jeremiah, from Hebrew Yirmeyahu, formed with the divine name and a root meaning "to be high" or "to exalt." James comes from Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob), traditionally linked to the heel and to supplanting. Jemima is a separate Hebrew name of uncertain meaning.
Jem Name History & Origins
Jem is a one-syllable English nickname form used for several longer names. Its use for Jeremy connects it with the biblical prophet Jeremiah, whose Hebrew name Yirmeyahu passed into Greek as Ieremias, into Latin as Jeremias, and into English as Jeremiah; Jeremy is an English form of the same name. Its use for James connects it with Hebrew Ya'aqov through Greek Iakobos, Latin Iacobus, and Old French James. The same short form has also been used for Jemima, a woman in the Hebrew Bible.
In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem Finch's full name is Jeremy, a well-known literary use of the nickname rather than its origin.
How Popular is the Name Jem?
Jem has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1987. Its best rank was #4,322 in 1963.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #15,941 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #14,182 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #16,225 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #14,337 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #16,287 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #16,175 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #14,896 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #13,625 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #15,439 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #13,022 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #14,356 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #14,070 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #9,621 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #11,405 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #7,967 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #6,496 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #11,646 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #10,176 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #11,485 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #8,468 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #11,385 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #13,101 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #13,335 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #11,566 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #11,488 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1971 | #5,260 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,683 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #4,322 | 5 | 0.0002% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Jem Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Jem's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jem's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.