Emerald


Its green landscapes has given Ireland a famous nickname. That nickname happens to feature a feminine green gemstone name: the Emerald Isle.

Emerald, the green stone, has traditionally been the birthstone of May. In ancient Egypt, people also used the stone for love and wisdom. As a baby name, it is lacking in history even though it appears in the Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources. It has been recorded as the Old French Emeraude in 1292 and the Latin Emerauda in 1564. 

Emerald has been recorded for at least five girls in the United States as early as 1904. Yet, it did not really begin to rise until the 1970s. Emerald went on to make the top 1000 from 1991 to 2002 with a 700s peak in 1994. The name reentered in 2017 and again in 2019. Emerald has been slowly rising in popularity since then. 

With several girls' names meaning "green", such as Olive and Sage, along with gemstone names like Jade and Opal in the top 1000, this is Emerald's time to shine. It will likely continue to rise in the future.

VARIANTS:

Esmeralda (Portuguese and Spanish)

NICKNAMES:

Emmie, Emmy

STYLES:

Nature, Symbolic

SISTERS:

Cassia, Essence, Indigo, Journey, Lavender, Majesty, Raven, Sonnet

BROTHERS:

Baron, Calix, Falcon, Knight, Major, Orion, Pharaoh, Revel

ALTERNATIVES:

Amethyst, Ebony, Eternity, Evening, Marvel, Olivine, Sapphire, Viridian

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Emerald." Names, Behind the Name, 5 Apr. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/emerald. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.

"Emerald." Names, Nameberry, 2023, https://nameberry.com/babyname/emerald. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.

"Tag: emerald." Girl Names, Nancy's Baby Names, 2023, https://www.nancy.cc/baby-name/emerald/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2023. 

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