Names That Mean Precious

Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn’t lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again for the first time since its heyday in the 1910s.

Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.

Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name.

Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unconventional flower name.

An energetic African name with a stylish o ending.

Keeva, the name chosen by "How I Met Your Mother" star Alyson Hannigan for her daughter, has recently been a Top 20 name in Ireland, using the authentic spelling Caoimhe. The male version is Caomhin--anglicized as Kevin.

Farida is a Muslim name more distinctive than the Americanized Farah/Farrah.

This name from the Torres Strait region is a gorgeous choice for parents looking for a name that describes just how precious your little one is.

Two z's equal double pizzazz.

Jacinth is a gemstone of the Zircon variety. The name is related to the floral Hyacinth.

If Liv can stand on it's own, why not Miv?

Baojin, sometime hyphenated to Bao-Jin, has a luxurious meaning making it a relatively common choice for Mandarin-speaking parents. Baojin can be used for girls and boys. But this meaning also means that baby Baojin will also share his/her name with a mining company, an expressway and a housing policy.

This name, used in many Eastern European countries including Serbia and Romania, has two possible (and equally lovely) meanings. The feminine version is Dragomira.

A popular unisex Mongolian name with a precious meaning.

A rare and lovely Nahuatl name, which literally means "quetzal feather" – a quetzal is a beautiful green bird native to Mexico, Guatemala and South America. The word is figuratively used to refer to something precious or beautiful, making this a lovely option for a wished-for baby girl.

Variant of Gemma/Jemma or James.

The soft and strong name of a 13th-century Persian poet.

A popular unisex Mongolian name with a precious meaning.

A Slavic name notably worn by Stefan Dragutin, a Serbian king from the 1200s AD.

A lovely name most commonly used by Judeo-Italian families — also the name of a fictional city in Ambrose Bierce's short story "An Inhabitant of Carcosa", written in the late 1800s.