Jade (given name)

Jade

The name jade is taken from the ornamental stone called jade
Pronunciation /ˈdʒeɪd/ JAYD
Gender Unisex
Origin
Word/name Spanish
Meaning jade, precious green stone
Other names
Related names Giada, Jada, Jaden, Jayde
Look up Jade in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Jade is a given name derived from the ornamental stone jade, which is used in artwork and in jewellery making. The name is derived from the Spanish piedra de la ijada, which means "stone of the colic." There was a belief that when jade was placed on the stomach, it could cure colic in babies.[1] The stone is greatly valued in Asian countries. Confucius believed it had properties encouraging purity, bravery, and honesty. Chinese emperors were buried in suits made of the stone because they believed it would make them live on forever.[2]

The name has been used for both boys and girls in the United States. Jade was the 113th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2007. It ranked among the 1,000 most common names for boys born in the United States throughout the mid-1990s.[3] Jade was the 232nd most common name for girls in England and Wales in 2007.[4] In the mid-1990s, Jade was among the top 25 most popular names for girls in England and Wales. It was also among the 100 most common names for girls in Scotland, France, Ireland, Belgium, Canada, Australia, and Northern Ireland in recent years.[3] Jada, a variant of the name, was the 97th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2007 and was the 89th most popular name for girls in British Columbia, Canada in 2006.[5] Jayda, a spelling variant, was the 262nd most popular name for girls born in 2007 in the United States.[6] Spelling variant Jaida was the 536th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2007[7] Giada, an Italian variant of the name, was the 839th most popular name for girls in the United States in 2007. Jaden, also a popular name for boys and girls in the United States with multiple spelling variants, is also sometimes seen as a variant of Jade.

Jade has become increasingly popular in France since 1990. It was the 7th most given name for girls in 2005.

People with the given name

Women

Men

Fictional characters

Variants

Notes

  1. ↑ Behind the Name
  2. ↑ Holland Cutter, "Art Review: The Jade of China, Alive With Meaning, Yet Glossily Elusive". New York Times (August 6, 2004)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Behind the Name
  4. ↑ Baby Planners
  5. ↑ Behind the Name
  6. ↑ Behind the Name
  7. ↑ Behind the Name