Yemima

📖 About Yemima

Yemima (יְמִימָה) is the original Hebrew form of the English name Jemima, one of the three daughters of Job mentioned at the end of the Book of Job (42:14). After God restored Job's fortunes following his legendary suffering, his three daughters — Yemima, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch — are described as the most beautiful women in all the land, and uniquely for the biblical era, they received an inheritance alongside their brothers. The name's etymology is debated: it is most commonly interpreted as meaning "dove" (related to the Hebrew yonah, יוֹנָה), symbolising peace, gentleness, and the end of suffering — fitting for a child born after calamity. Some scholars alternatively connect it to the Arabic yawm ("day"), suggesting "daylight" or "bright as day." The Y-initial spelling Yemima preserves the Hebrew pronunciation and is the form used in modern Israeli Hebrew, distinguishing it from the Anglicised Jemima. In Israel, the name carries a quietly literary, biblical elegance that appeals to parents drawn to lesser-known scriptural names. The name has additional cultural resonance through Yemima Avidar-Tchernovitz, an important Israeli children's author, and through its use in observant Jewish communities worldwide where biblical names are deeply valued.