January: Garnet
Garnet is a jewel name from French that means pomegranate, and it is one of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago.
February: Amethyst
A purple variety of quartz used for gems. It is of Greek origin meaning "not intoxicated". According to Greek legend, wearing this stone would protect the wearer from the effects of strong drugs, usually alcohol.
March: Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a blue or cyan variety of beryl, in Latin the word means "water of the sea."
April: Diamond
A metastable allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice.
May: Emerald
Emerald is the bright green variety of beryl used in jewelry making, and it is believed to bring goodness to one's life. Also believed to reveal what is true or false and can make people more intelligent and honest. It is also associated with the Greek goddess Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and was said to protect lovers from unfaithfulness.
June: Pearl
The pearl denotes the milky-colored gem that is formed inside certain oysters. Pearl could also make a fresher middle name alternative to the overused Rose. Cool couple Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson named their daughter Pearl Minnie.
July: Ruby
The ruby is one of the four gemstones, and ranges in color from pink to deep red. The name of the gemstone comes from the Latin ruber, meaning red. The name first came into wide use for girls in the late Victorian era along with other jewel names.
August: Peridot, Jade
Peridot is a beautiful olive green color mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in ancient times as the symbol of the sun. Peridots are highly valued in Hawaii, where it is believed that they are the tears of the volcano goddess Pele.
Jade is taken from the name of the hard green or white jadeite or nephrite stone. In China Jade is the most precious material in the world more precious than gold. It is thought to be the ultimate in beautiful stones.
September: Sapphire
Sapphire is a semi-precious gemstone that comes in a variety of colors. Sapphire comes from the Latin sapphirus, from the Greek word for blue stone. Sapphires symbolize lots of positive attributes: heaven in the Middle Ages, truth, sincerity, and loyalty.
October: Opal
Opal is a very soft semiprecious gemstone which reflects light in a dazzling display of colors. The ancient Greeks believed that opals were formed from the tears of joy wept by Zeus when he defeated the titans, and that the opal bestowed prophetic powers. the Romans considered it a symbol of hope and good fortune. It was a favorite gem of Queen Victoria.
November: Yellow Topaz
As a golden gem, Topaz is said to have healing and energizing properties and also to bring good luck. As a name, Topaz is sophisticated and sultry.
December: Turquoise
Turquoise is a precious stone, and it is similar in hue to Aqua, which is one of the cool new color names on the palette. The word "turquoise" came from French, meaning "Turkish stone" or "Turkish jewel."