Diamond

Diamond is the English vocabulary word for the most well-known and highly coveted gemstone. The English borrowed the word from the Latin “adamas” (who in turn borrowed from the Greek ἀδάμαντος) the root of which means “unbreakable, invincible, untamable” (think: adamant). Diamond is also one of the four suits associated with playing cards, as well as the name of the field upon which baseball is played. As a female given name, however, Diamond is obviously being used in connection with the gemstone known for its hardness, its brilliance, and its dispersion of light. Diamonds are also associated with notions of rarity, value and “foreverness” (although this is largely the marketing genius and consumer manipulation of the De Beers Company). Diamonds are actually NOT rare and their value has largely been manipulated by the De Beers Co. who at one point controlled 90% of the world’s supply which allowed them to engage in price-fixing through the stockpiling of supply and the release of said supply in small amounts to ensure demand remained advantageously managed. Diamonds have further lost their luster (so to speak) as the African “blood” or “conflict” diamond trade has been brought to the attention of the international media. Such diamonds are mined (often with the use of forced child labor) and sold to fund on-going Civil Wars in nations like Angola, the Congo, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, etc. The more people learn and understand the realities of the Diamond industry as a whole, the more people have boycotted these precious stones. People also appear to be boycotting the name Diamond; as a given name for girls, Diamond has taken a dive in usage since the turn of the 21st century which is about when more information started to circulate regarding the realities of the diamond trade business. Diamond is primarily used as a female name in the United States but many people consider it unisex by nature.