Crystal
Crystal comes from the Greek "krystallos," meaning ice or clear — the ancients believed that clear quartz was ice that had been frozen so hard it would never melt. The word passed through Latin ("crystallus") and Old French ("cristal") into English. The name is essentially a gemstone name, like Amber or Ruby, but with a more abstract quality. Crystal entered the US top 1000 in 1947 and peaked at #9 in 1982 — making it one of the most successful gemstone names of the late 20th century. The peak was so concentrated that Crystal now reads as definitively 1980s. Crystal Gayle (born 1951), the country singer known for "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" (1977), was the most visible early bearer. I find Crystal has a slightly new-age quality — the gemstone association and the "ice" etymology give it a cold clarity that other names lack. The "Cr" opening is unusual in English female names, and the "st" cluster in the middle gives it texture. The name has been outside the US top 500 since 2018 but has too much cultural presence to disappear. Crystal is a female name of Greek (via English) origin that means "Ice, clear (from Greek "krystallos")". 80s, clear, and slightly new-age. The name sounds bright. Crystals tend to be direct. US peaked #9 in 1982. Outside top 500 since 2018. Well-known people named Crystal include Crystal Gayle (singer), Crystal Reed (actress), Crystal Renn (model), Crystal (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Crystal include Krystal (variant spelling), Christal (variant), Crystelle (elaboration), Crystal (used across English).