The Most Common and Most Popular Birthstones in the U.S.
Introduction
Birthstones hold a special place in the world of jewelry. Whether set in a family heirloom or gifted to mark a milestone, these colorful gems are often tied to identity, sentiment, and tradition.
To better understand how birthstone preferences vary across the country, we analyzed two key datasets: birth records from the CDC and Google Trends search data. This allowed us to determine the most common and rarest birthstones in every U.S. state and 100 major cities, as well as which stones people are searching for most.
The findings offer a fresh look at how birth months shape demand and how popularity doesn’t always follow tradition. From the dominance of August births to the enduring appeal of April’s diamond, here’s what the data reveals about birthstones across America.
National Birthstone Trends
To start our exploration, let’s take a look at the national breakdown of birthstone commonality. These percentages reflect the share of annual U.S. births that occur in each birthstone's corresponding month, offering a baseline for how common each stone is across the country.
1. Peridot (August) – 8.97%
2. Ruby (July) – 8.8%
3. Sapphire (September) – 8.67%
4. Opal (October) – 8.52%
5. Pearl (June) – 8.33%
6. Emerald (May) – 8.32%
7. Turquoise (December) – 8.32%
8. Aquamarine (March) – 8.29%
9. Garnet (January) – 8.16%
10. Topaz (November) – 8.07%
11. Diamond (April) – 7.95%
12. Amethyst (February) – 7.58%
The differences may seem small, but they help explain why certain birthstones are more common — and why amethyst, tied to the shortest month of the year, consistently ranks as the rarest. Now that we’ve seen the national view, let’s take a closer look at where birthstones appear most and least frequently, and which ones people seek out the most.
The Most Common Birthstone in Every State
When it comes to birthstones, not all are created equal — at least not in terms of how common they are. By analyzing CDC birth data across all 50 states, we identified the most common birthstone in each state based on which month sees the highest number of births. Here's what we found:
The Most Common Birthstones by State
Peridot (August) – most common in 38 states
Ruby (July) – most common in 11 states
Sapphire (September) – most common in 1 state (Hawaii)
Emerald (May) – most common in 1 state (Wyoming)
Symbolizing strength and balance, peridot tops the list as the most common birthstone in the vast majority of states because August dominates the birth charts in most of the country. Ruby follows, showing up most often in the Midwest and sprinkled in parts of the Northeast and West. It’s often associated with passion and vitality, telling us that residents in its states try to make the most of every day.
The Rarest Birthstones by State
Amethyst (February) – rarest in 47 states
Diamond (April) – rarest in Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi
Amethyst, known for its association with clarity and calm, is the rarest in nearly every state. That’s not too surprising since it’s the birthstone for February, the shortest month of the year. Diamond is the only other birthstone to be the rarest in any state, potentially making the beloved precious gem that symbolizes endurance and strength that much more sought-after.
Next, we’ll shift from commonality to popularity by analyzing Google Trends data to see which birthstones shine the brightest in the eyes of Americans.
The Most Popular Birthstone in Every State
Not every birthstone gets the same level of admiration. While some are tied to birth rates, others rise to the top simply because people love the way they look — or the meaning behind them. To understand which birthstones Americans are most drawn to, we analyzed Google Trends search interest across all 50 states over the past year. Here's what we found.
Diamond (April) – most popular in 20 states
From Texas to Illinois to Hawaii, diamonds dominate interest nationwide. Known for their durability and as symbols of love and commitment, it’s no surprise this gemstone holds strong appeal.
Amethyst (February) – most popular in 7 states
Favored in states like Arizona and Nevada, amethyst is believed to have calming properties. Its popularity in these states could be influenced by the active crystal and gemstone markets found in the Southwest.
Aquamarine (March) – most popular in 7 states
States like Florida, South Carolina, and Rhode Island all show high interest in aquamarine. Its cool blue tones might resonate in coastal regions where ocean life and water symbols carry strong cultural value.
Ruby (July) – most popular in 6 states
The popularity in California and Washington hint at ruby’s enduring appeal in regions where boldness often trends.
Topaz (November) – most popular in 2 states
Similar to their surrounding states, Montana and Utah are known for gemstone mining, and topaz can be found in both states. It’s even the state gem of Utah.
Turquoise (December) – most popular in New Mexico
Turquoise has been mined in New Mexico for centuries and has been the official state gem since 1967. It is deeply embedded in Native American art and design throughout the Southwest.
Interestingly, peridot, the most common birthstone based on birth rates, didn’t top the popularity chart in any state. Pearl also didn’t claim the top spot anywhere, despite its long-standing history in American jewelry.
Birthstone popularity isn’t just about how many people are born each month. It reflects cultural values, regional aesthetics, and in some cases, deeper symbolism.
Up next, we’ll take a look at the most common, rarest, and most popular birthstones in large U.S. cities.
A City-Level Look at the Birthstone Data
While state-level trends reveal broad patterns, zooming in on America’s cities uncovers more localized preferences. Using the same birth and search data, we looked at 100 of the largest U.S. cities to determine which birthstones are most common, which are rarest, and which are most popular in each city.
Use the interactive table to search for your city or sort the columns individually to see how different birthstones rank across the country. Whether you’re in New York or Nashville, the data shows how birthstone trends can shift from city to city.
Similar to the state-level data, despite peridot being the most common birthstone in many cities, diamond consistently tops the popularity charts. It’s a reminder that what’s common and what’s coveted aren’t always the same.
That said, a few cities do stand out for their alignment. In Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Worcester, ruby is not only the most common birthstone, it’s also the most popular. These cities buck the national trend by favoring what’s most prevalent.
On the other hand, several cities lean the opposite way. In Phoenix, New Orleans, Birmingham, and Tucson, the most popular birthstone, diamond, is also the rarest. A sign that scarcity can drive interest just as much as tradition.
Closing Thoughts
Birthstones are more than just markers of birth months. They reflect personal style, cultural influences, and regional trends. From the dominance of peridot in birth records to the nationwide popularity of diamonds, the findings highlight how preferences vary across the country, and how deeply connected people are to the stones that represent them.
For a precious metal refinery like Elemetal, understanding these trends matters. Many of the items we recycle, from rings to pendants, carry stones with personal meaning. Our stone removal service helps recover and preserve these pieces so they can be reused, resold, or passed on. Whether a stone is common or rare, it’s always worth handling with care.
Methodology
To determine the most common, rarest, and most popular birthstones across the U.S., we analyzed Centers for Disease Control (CDC) natality data from 2007-2023 and Google search interest from 2004-today.
Using the CDC data, we were able to find the total number of babies born in every state and county in the U.S. by month, which we used to find out the most common and rarest birthstones in every state and in the 100 largest metro areas (by county).
The Google search interest data tells us the birthstones that are most popular in each state based on share of internet searches. We used search interest as a measure of popularity for this study.
