There are two possible full forms for this name (which nowadays is often given as a name in its own right.)
The more common of these is Jeremy. This itself is the English version of the Biblical name Jeremiah. In Hebrew, Jeremiah means "appointed by God," and is the name of an Old Testament prophet whose story is told in the Book of Jeremiah. It was a popular name among the 17th century Puritans, but later Jeremy became a much more common version. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was often shortened to Jem or Jemmy.
The rarer name Jerome (stress on the second syllable) is also sometimes shortened to Jerry. Jerome is of Greek origin, actually a variant of the name Hieronymos (as in the medieval artist Hieronymos Bosch) and means "holy name." There was a famous early Christian theologian, St Jerome, who helped to make the name popular among Christians. The humorous author Jerome K. Jerome is a later example of the name.
The more common of these is Jeremy. This itself is the English version of the Biblical name Jeremiah. In Hebrew, Jeremiah means "appointed by God," and is the name of an Old Testament prophet whose story is told in the Book of Jeremiah. It was a popular name among the 17th century Puritans, but later Jeremy became a much more common version. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was often shortened to Jem or Jemmy.
The rarer name Jerome (stress on the second syllable) is also sometimes shortened to Jerry. Jerome is of Greek origin, actually a variant of the name Hieronymos (as in the medieval artist Hieronymos Bosch) and means "holy name." There was a famous early Christian theologian, St Jerome, who helped to make the name popular among Christians. The humorous author Jerome K. Jerome is a later example of the name.
