Jade

Amber

Arabic · “Taken from the English word amber, denoting the golden-yellow fossilised tree resin used in jewellery. The word itself derives from the Arabic 'anbar, via Middle Latin ambar and Old French ambre. The name began to appear as a given name in the late 19th century but achieved widespread popularity after the publication of Kathleen Winsor's bestselling novel Forever Amber in 1944.”

Emerald

Greek · “From the English word emerald, denoting the brilliant green gemstone, derived via Old French esmeraude and Medieval Latin esmaralda/smaragdus from the Greek smaragdos, which may ultimately come from a Semitic root. Emerald as a given name is a gemstone name in the tradition of Ruby, Pearl, and Jade, evoking vivid colour, rarity, and value. It has been used as a feminine given name in English since at least the 19th century.”

Jasper

Persian · “Jasper is a masculine given name of Persian origin, derived from the Old Persian yashp meaning "treasurer." It became widely used in medieval Europe through the tradition of naming one of the Three Wise Men Jasper (or Caspar). The name has no etymological connection to the gemstone jasper, which derives from a different root.”

Soledad

“From the Spanish soledad, meaning "solitude" or "loneliness," derived from the Latin solitudo. It is used as a given name in honour of the Virgin Mary under her title Nuestra Señora de la Soledad ("Our Lady of Solitude"), who represents Mary's grief after the Crucifixion. The name is primarily used in Spanish-speaking countries and among Hispanic communities.”

Isabel

“Isabel is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Elizabeth, a medieval Iberian variant of the Hebrew Elisheba meaning "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance". The name was borne by two of history's most powerful women: Queen Isabel I of Castile (1451–1504), sponsor of Columbus's voyages, and her granddaughter Isabel of Portugal. It is one of the most prestigious and beloved names in the Spanish-speaking world.”

Ainhoa

“Ainhoa is a Basque feminine given name taken from the name of a village in the French Basque Country (Lapurdi), itself from the Basque ainhoa meaning "fertile slope" or possibly from a root related to "Our Lady of Ainhoa", a Marian shrine there. The name gained popularity throughout Spain and the Basque Country in the late 20th century and has become one of the most beloved Basque feminine names, both in the Spanish Basque Country and in the French Pays Basque.”

Linda

“In Spanish and Portuguese, linda simply means "pretty" or "beautiful," making it a straightforward word-name. However, as an English name it more likely developed as a feminine suffix form attached to names like Belinda or Melinda. The element -linda in Germanic names derives from the Old High German lind, meaning "soft," "gentle," or "serpent." Linda exploded in popularity across the English-speaking world in the 1940s and 1950s.”

Penelope

“Penelope is a feminine given name of Greek origin from the Homeric Penelopê, whose etymology is uncertain — possibly from pene meaning "thread on a bobbin" (relating to the famous weaving) or from a pre-Greek root. In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus who waits twenty years for his return, unraveling her weaving each night to delay her suitors. Her name became the archetype of conjugal fidelity.”

Teresa

“Teresa is a feminine given name of uncertain but likely Greek origin, possibly from the Greek theresia meaning "harvester" or from the island of Thera (Santorini). It became enormously popular across the Catholic world through Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582), the Spanish mystic, Doctor of the Church, and author of The Interior Castle, and later through Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. It is used across Spanish and Italian.”