Fun Facts About the Name Ophelia
- More than 25 thousand babies named Ophelia: U.S. records list 25,773 babies given the name Ophelia from 1880 through 2025. Even 15 boys received the name Ophelia - about 1 boy for every 1,717 girls.
What Does the Name Ophelia Mean?
Ophelia is a Greek-derived name meaning "help" or "aid." It comes from the Greek noun ōpheleia (ὠφέλεια), "help, aid, benefit," built on the root ophel-. The same root forms the verb ōpheleō (ὠφελέω), "to help, to be of use," and the noun ophelos (ὄφελος), "help, advantage." The personal name is a feminine form from this root, so its literal sense is "help."
Ophelia is sometimes glossed as "serpent" in popular name lists, by association with the Greek ophis (ὄφις), "snake." That is a resemblance in sound rather than a shared root, and it is not the derivation indicated by the Greek forms behind the name. The "help" meaning rests on the Greek vocabulary; the snake connection does not.
Ophelia Name History & Origins
The name is best known through a single work. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, written around 1600, Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and the woman Hamlet loves; her madness and drowning are among the play's most familiar scenes. The play carried the name into English, and translations spread it into other languages, where it appears as Ofelia in Italian and Spanish and Ophélie in French.
Earlier use in Renaissance Europe is reported but not clearly documented. Some references link the name to Italian pastoral writing of the early sixteenth century, including the Arcadia of Jacopo Sannazaro, though the details are uncertain. What is clear is the Greek root and the name's later life across several European languages.
The name was also given to a moon of Uranus, discovered in 1986 and named for Shakespeare's character, one of several Uranian moons named after figures from his plays.
How Popular is the Name Ophelia?
Ophelia recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2024. Its best rank was #232 in 1882.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #264 | 1,183 | 0.0736% |
| 2024 | #261 | 1,215 | 0.0753% |
| 2023 | #265 | 1,176 | 0.0734% |
| 2022 | #272 | 1,167 | 0.0712% |
| 2021 | #321 | 1,013 | 0.0618% |
| 2020 | #391 | 794 | 0.0491% |
| 2019 | #385 | 813 | 0.0485% |
| 2018 | #373 | 839 | 0.0493% |
| 2017 | #417 | 765 | 0.0443% |
| 2016 | #582 | 533 | 0.0301% |
| 2015 | #979 | 276 | 0.0155% |
| 2014 | #1,121 | 226 | 0.0127% |
| 2013 | #1,280 | 185 | 0.0105% |
| 2012 | #1,572 | 139 | 0.0079% |
| 2011 | #1,850 | 109 | 0.0062% |
| 2010 | #2,071 | 96 | 0.0054% |
| 2009 | #2,502 | 76 | 0.0041% |
| 2008 | #2,048 | 101 | 0.0053% |
| 2007 | #2,778 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 2006 | #3,456 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2005 | #3,487 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 2004 | #4,254 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2003 | #3,793 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 2002 | #4,049 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2001 | #6,249 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #5,447 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1999 | #4,275 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1998 | #4,109 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1997 | #4,338 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1996 | #3,801 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1995 | #4,641 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1994 | #3,978 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1993 | #4,073 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #5,653 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1991 | #4,299 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1990 | #3,880 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1989 | #4,801 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1988 | #4,271 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1987 | #3,600 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1986 | #2,291 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 1985 | #2,738 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1984 | #2,973 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 1983 | #3,400 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1982 | #2,684 | 35 | 0.0021% |
| 1981 | #2,702 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1980 | #3,190 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1979 | #2,564 | 36 | 0.0022% |
| 1978 | #2,502 | 35 | 0.0023% |
| 1977 | #2,647 | 32 | 0.0021% |
| 1976 | #2,326 | 36 | 0.0025% |
| 1975 | #2,223 | 38 | 0.0026% |
| 1974 | #2,479 | 31 | 0.0021% |
| 1973 | #1,905 | 44 | 0.0030% |
| 1972 | #1,619 | 56 | 0.0037% |
| 1971 | #2,133 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 1970 | #1,818 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 1969 | #1,625 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1968 | #1,590 | 53 | 0.0032% |
| 1967 | #1,520 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1966 | #1,344 | 66 | 0.0039% |
| 1965 | #1,343 | 67 | 0.0038% |
| 1964 | #1,329 | 72 | 0.0038% |
| 1963 | #1,275 | 75 | 0.0039% |
| 1962 | #1,182 | 87 | 0.0044% |
| 1961 | #1,189 | 87 | 0.0043% |
| 1960 | #1,061 | 103 | 0.0051% |
| 1959 | #1,044 | 105 | 0.0052% |
| 1958 | #886 | 133 | 0.0066% |
| 1957 | #892 | 132 | 0.0065% |
| 1956 | #911 | 122 | 0.0061% |
| 1955 | #935 | 111 | 0.0057% |
| 1954 | #737 | 158 | 0.0081% |
| 1953 | #721 | 159 | 0.0085% |
| 1952 | #781 | 133 | 0.0072% |
| 1951 | #684 | 164 | 0.0091% |
| 1950 | #651 | 172 | 0.0100% |
| 1949 | #720 | 139 | 0.0081% |
| 1948 | #706 | 141 | 0.0083% |
| 1947 | #702 | 146 | 0.0082% |
| 1946 | #768 | 115 | 0.0073% |
| 1945 | #685 | 119 | 0.0091% |
| 1944 | #620 | 140 | 0.0105% |
| 1943 | #587 | 165 | 0.0118% |
| 1942 | #619 | 147 | 0.0109% |
| 1941 | #619 | 131 | 0.0108% |
| 1940 | #570 | 149 | 0.0130% |
| 1939 | #562 | 144 | 0.0131% |
| 1938 | #524 | 167 | 0.0151% |
| 1937 | #482 | 184 | 0.0173% |
| 1936 | #493 | 171 | 0.0164% |
| 1935 | #468 | 186 | 0.0177% |
| 1934 | #461 | 196 | 0.0188% |
| 1933 | #445 | 211 | 0.0209% |
| 1932 | #427 | 237 | 0.0222% |
| 1931 | #455 | 201 | 0.0189% |
| 1930 | #416 | 251 | 0.0223% |
| 1929 | #417 | 255 | 0.0228% |
| 1928 | #400 | 283 | 0.0245% |
| 1927 | #387 | 311 | 0.0261% |
| 1926 | #385 | 314 | 0.0265% |
| 1925 | #358 | 364 | 0.0299% |
| 1924 | #360 | 362 | 0.0290% |
| 1923 | #370 | 323 | 0.0268% |
| 1922 | #341 | 364 | 0.0303% |
| 1921 | #353 | 347 | 0.0281% |
| 1920 | #348 | 353 | 0.0295% |
| 1919 | #353 | 331 | 0.0293% |
| 1918 | #366 | 313 | 0.0270% |
| 1917 | #375 | 285 | 0.0264% |
| 1916 | #385 | 266 | 0.0255% |
| 1915 | #376 | 260 | 0.0264% |
| 1914 | #355 | 224 | 0.0294% |
| 1913 | #353 | 187 | 0.0299% |
| 1912 | #317 | 208 | 0.0373% |
| 1911 | #355 | 129 | 0.0308% |
| 1910 | #297 | 169 | 0.0426% |
| 1909 | #284 | 160 | 0.0461% |
| 1908 | #318 | 124 | 0.0371% |
| 1907 | #305 | 132 | 0.0414% |
| 1906 | #307 | 120 | 0.0406% |
| 1905 | #299 | 125 | 0.0429% |
| 1904 | #310 | 109 | 0.0396% |
| 1903 | #286 | 122 | 0.0466% |
| 1902 | #320 | 95 | 0.0360% |
| 1901 | #303 | 99 | 0.0414% |
| 1900 | #268 | 150 | 0.0500% |
| 1899 | #271 | 112 | 0.0481% |
| 1898 | #316 | 99 | 0.0383% |
| 1897 | #280 | 103 | 0.0440% |
| 1896 | #329 | 79 | 0.0332% |
| 1895 | #304 | 91 | 0.0390% |
| 1894 | #320 | 77 | 0.0345% |
| 1893 | #284 | 89 | 0.0418% |
| 1892 | #265 | 101 | 0.0476% |
| 1891 | #273 | 83 | 0.0447% |
| 1890 | #313 | 65 | 0.0341% |
| 1889 | #275 | 75 | 0.0420% |
| 1888 | #258 | 81 | 0.0453% |
| 1887 | #251 | 70 | 0.0480% |
| 1886 | #269 | 60 | 0.0415% |
| 1885 | #278 | 51 | 0.0383% |
| 1884 | #251 | 61 | 0.0473% |
| 1883 | #242 | 55 | 0.0490% |
| 1882 | #232 | 56 | 0.0519% |
| 1881 | #308 | 27 | 0.0294% |
| 1880 | #236 | 44 | 0.0484% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | #4,638 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #4,791 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1915 | #4,235 | 5 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ophelia Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Ophelia's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ophelia's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.