Jasper

The name Jasper is a boy's name of Persian origin meaning "bringer of treasure". Jasper has a lot going for it -- it's been rocketing up the ranks in the US, after long being considered a posh and charming name in England. Distinctly masculine, Jasper represents a variety of quartz--one of the few gem names for boys-- and is the first name of the great modern artist Jasper Johns. Our only caveat: Jasper is a favorite of a lot of hip parents, and has gotten even more popular since its strong appearance in the Twilight books and movies. Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition, and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3. Jasper has considerable literary cred as well, appearing in works by Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper, Thackeray, and Thomas Hardy--as well as Stephenie Meyer. Casper/Caspar is the German version.