Gemma

Where Gemma comes from

Ultimately from Latin gemma (“jewel”). The given name is mostly borrowed via Italian Gemma; the spelling Jemma in particular is associated with James. Doublet of gemma and gem.
— Wiktionary's entry for Gemma
  • Italian
  • 2 syllables
  • Vowel-ended
Along the way
  1. 1904
    First appearance
    #1,877 among girls, 5 babies — the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1982
    Gemma Chan born
    British actress
  3. 1986
    Gemma Arterton born
    British actress
  4. 2025
    Peak, #170
    1,805 babies named Gemma — more than any year before or since.
In the dictionary
  • A female given name from Italian.
Namesakes
  • Gemma Arterton · British actress, born 1986
  • Gemma Chan · British actress, born 1982
  • Gemma Galgani · Italian saint, 1878–1903
  • Gemma Frisius · Frisian physician, mathematician and cartographer, 1508–1555
  • Gemma Jones · British actress, born 1942

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.