maro's list "Unusual Names" of 2 great name ideas: Topaz - Tove!

Unusual Names

I've always been partial to names that seem a little dark and musical, names that have a good blend of vowels and consonants. Marguerite, Cosima, Silas, and Sable are all some that come to mind... and there are many more to be found below!

As a name, Topaz is a quietly used option, with a distinctive ending and a sleek but sassy feel. As a golden gemstone, it is said to have energizing properties and bring good luck to those who wear it. It is also the the birthstone for November, making it an ideal choice for a spirited November baby.
 
While the exact etymology is unknown, it is believed to come from Topázios or Topázion, the ancient name for what is now known as St. John's Island in the Red Sea. A yellow stone was once mined from there, and while it is now believed to be chrysolite, the name may have attached itself to the gemstone. An alternative theory is that it comes from tapas, a Sanskrit word meaning "heat" or "fire", which may relate to its golden hue, or to the fact it changes color when heated. 
 
Also believed to protect against dark magic and encourage healing and love, Topaz appears in an eponymous novel by Leon Uris, later made into a 1969 Hitchcock movie, in which Topaz was the name not of a person but a spy code name. There are are however characters called Topaz in Dodie Smith's novel I Capture the Castle, in the animated series Trollz, in the Marvel comic book of the same name, and in the show Steven Universe.
 
In the US, there have never been more than 20 Topazes born in a single year, making it a rare gem among Sapphires, Pearls, Rubies, and Opals.

Topaz

Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name for which there are no letters on the twenty-first century keyboard (Þórfríðr, for those interested.) Surviving and thriving in modern Scandinavia in the form of Tove, Tuva, and Tova, it is originally related to the name Thor and means "beautiful, beloved."
 
Internationally, its best-known wearers include Moomins creator Tove Jansson, and Swedish singer Tove, and in 2025, actress Lily Collins named her daughter Tove Jane after Jansson which may bring the name more widespread attention.
 
Beyond Tove, other popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/173/scandinavian-names">Scandinavian names</a> include Toril, Maja, Tyra, and Ebba.