Amethyst is the name of the purple quartz, from the Greek amethystos, which means "not intoxicated", because the ancients believed the stone protected against drunkenness. It is the birthstone for February and belongs to the group of gem names like Ruby, Jade and Opal that are enjoying a revival. Amethyst has climbed from number 1,818 in 2000 to a best rank of number 1,069 in 2022 and ranks number 1,242 in 2025.