Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Jimmy” come from?

Jimmy is an English diminutive formation from Middle English -y, Middle French -ie, Latin -ia, derived from Latin -ivus and Latin -ia, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European -kos.

Jimmy (English): Shortened form of Jimmy Riddle, a piddle

Definitions

  1. Shortened form of Jimmy Riddle, a piddle

Ancestry of “Jimmy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishJim—
2Proto-Slavicjьthis; he
3Proto-Balto-Slaviciś—
4Old Polishićto go
5Proto-Slavicjьtito go
6Proto-Balto-Slaviceiteito go
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éytito go, to be going
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ey-to go

Words derived from “Jimmy”

  • 吉米
  • Jimi
  • Jimmy
  • Jimmy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ey- →