Jewel

Jewel is taken from the English word jewel, meaning ‘precious stone’. The word came into Middle English from Old French jouel, which probably derives from Latin jocus, ‘joke’ or ‘game’, the original sense being a plaything or trinket. As a given name it is linked with beauty and rarity, and it has been used in English-speaking countries since at least the nineteenth century. A notable bearer is Jewel Kilcher, the American singer-songwriter known simply as Jewel, who grew up in Alaska.