Etymology of exclamation "jiminy crickets"

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

    I'd like to fill in a small gap in HDAS, viz. the etymology of the exclamation of surprise "jiminy crickets." HDAS (perhaps following other sources) says: "elab. of earlier _jiminy_, var. of _Gemini_."

    A better etymology than "Gemini" is the  German interjection "jemine," known to derive from Latin "Jesu domine" (e.g., Kluge, _Etymologisches Woerterbuch der deutschen Sprache_). "Crickets" would be a substitution for the partially similar-sounding "Christ" to avoid speaking a sacred name in vain.

    German "jemine" (= oh dear, oh gracious) also appears in the extended forms "ojemine" and "herrjemine", with shortened variants "oje" and "herrje." (Here, German "Herr" = Lord)

Gerald Cohen