20 Unexpected Gemstone Names

Livi Po via Dribbble

Gemstone names are always fun, but once a name becomes as popular as Ruby, Jade, or Diamond, it begins to lose its gemstoniness, and sound more and more like an average name. Luckily, none of the following have reached that level of popularity (and dare I say, probably never will). These gemstone names are truly unexpected.

Agate- A beautiful veiny quartz. She's a great way to get to Aggie if you're not a fan of Agatha or Agnes.

Alexandrite- One of the birthstones for June. Perfect for a boy or a girl.

Amethyst- Famous for its purply hue. Lovely choice for a February-born daughter.

Aquamarine- A blueish-green gem, much like its name suggests. She makes a fun, surprising middle name,

Beryl- Beryl is a subset of minerals that includes emerald and aquamarine. As a name she sounds a bit outdated, but is moving into the "charming" territory.

Carnelian- A red-brown semi-precious gemstone. She makes an unusual way to get to the nickname Carnie.

Celestine- A blue mineral, also called celestite. Long time readers will know that Celestine is one of my favorite guilty-pleasure names for a girl.

Cinnabar- Cinnabar is a lovely red mineral often used in jewelry. The name can be used for a son or daughter, with the possibility of the nickname Cinna.

Citrine- A yellow gemstone that symbolizes success and prosperity. Every once in a while I hear of a girl named Citrine, and I'm always enchanted.

Garnet- January's gemstone. Garnet is one of the tamer gemstone names on this list--it fits right in with the baby names of today.

Heliotrope- A variety of Jasper, also called bloodstone. Even though its name suggests a purple coloring, its actually green and red. Heliotrope would make a lovely middle name for a daughter, plus, it's also a flower name.

Jacinth- Jacinth is a red-orange gem, and the Middle-English word for Hyacinth. She's the perfect addition to my collection of Jacin- names.

Moonstone- A gorgeous irridescent gemstone. Anyone else think this would make a positively dreamy name for a daughter? (no pun intended)

Morganite- A pink beryl, found in many a wedding ring. It puts a fun spin on the name Morgan.

Onyx- A shiny stone known for its jet black color. He's one of the few gemstone names that works especially well on a son.

Peridot- Peridot is a lovely green gem. It's no secret I love it as a name for a daughter, especially with the nickname Dot.

Quartz- Quite a popular mineral, but an uncommon Q name for either gender.

Sapphire- A royal blue gem rich in color. Not unheard of as a name, but certainly a surprising choice.

Topaz- A well-known mineral that comes in many colors. She makes a good name possibility for parents looking for something with that zesty "Z."

Turquoise- Turquoise is a beautiful stone that comes from Turkey.She's a color and gemstone name, which makes her twice as nice.

Month Names: January

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Happy New Year everybody! I'm so glad it's finally 2015. It's going to be a good year, I can feel it. If you're having a baby this month, consider sneaking a January-related name in the choice pool. I have a lot of great options for you.

Birthstone: 
Garnet- Garnet is a great gemstone name, and one of the few that works better on boys.

Birth Flower:
Camellia- Camellia is a beautiful name on her own, but you can also call her Cammie.
Carnation- I'm not sure how usable Carnation is as a name. You could call her Carnie?
Plum Blossom- In China, January's flower is the Plum Blossom. You might not want to use them as a set, but Plum or Blossom make fun names on their own.
Snowdrop- Snowdrop doesn't really work as a name, but there are names that are related to snow, like Neve.

Birth Colors: 
Black- Black itself isn't a name, but Ebony, Jet, Noir, and Onyx are.
Dark Blue- We went over dark blue names in November. I stand by my picks of Cobalt, Indigo, and Navy.

Star Sign:
Aquarius- Aquarius means water bearer, so a water name like Bay, Lake, or Oceane would be perfect.
Capricorn- Last month I suggested Caprice as an option. Does it work?

Related to January:
Jan Names- Most of the Jan- names are not in style, but Jane, January, and Janson are in vogue.
Winter- Winter is in full swing, why not name your daughter after her birth season?

10 G Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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G is one of those letters that offers so many unique names. G is often seen as a more masculine letter, which means there are tons of overlooked options for girls. Take a look, and tell me your opinion.

Gaeta- A pretty name that is slim, yet ultra-feminine.

Galilee- Fun, spunky, and upbeat. Many parents would choose this name for her uniqueness, but if you want a more conventional nickname, she lends herself to Lily.

Galina-Spelled Galena she's an Illinois place name (ski destination), but Galina is definitely the prettier spelling.

Garnet- This January gemstone makes the perfect name for a boy or girl born any month of the year.

Genoa- A sweet, interesting way to get to everyone's latest name crush: Noa.

Georgiana- She's a big name for a little girl, but with her length comes plenty of nickname opportunities. My favorites are Georgie, Georgia, and Gia.

Gioia- (JOY-uh) A more modern and understated way to represent the virtue Joy.

Glenna- Girly, without the frills. A nice way to honor a Glenn.

Greer- One of my favorite G names. More people need to use Greer.

Guinevere- She strikes me as the best alternative to Genevieve. Worried about nicknames? I once knew a girl called Guinnie.