Etymology

The name "topaz" is derived from the Greek (Τοpáziοs) or (Τοpáziοn), the ancient name of St. John's Island in the Red Sea which was difficult to find and from which a yellow stone was mined in ancient times; topaz itself wasn't really known about before the classical era.

Pliny says that Topazos is a legendary island in the Red Sea and the mineral "topaz" was first mined there. The word topaz might be related to the Arabic word which meant "the subject of the search" or Sanskrit word “tapas" meaning "heat" or "fire."