Ophelia is a feminine given name, probably derived from Ancient Greek ὠφέλεια (ōphéleia, "benefit").[1][2]

Ophelia
Ophelia or Pause for Thought by Pierre Auguste Cot, 1870.
Genderfemale
Origin
Word/nameGreek
Meaninghelp
The hybrid tea rose Ophelia.

The name is best known as a character from William Shakespeare's Hamlet who has a tragic end. More modern associations, including Ophelia, a song by The Lumineers, now also influence perceptions of the name, which also has a history of use dating back to the late 1800s.[3][4][5] Author Laura Wattenberg noted that the name is elegant, exotic, and similar in style to the popular name Olivia but has a more Gothic, romantic sensibility that some parents find appealing.[6] Ophelia has also been the subject of numerous songs, paintings, film and television productions.

Ofelia is the Spanish-language spelling of the name.

Usage edit

The name has ranked among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States since 2015 and among the top 300 since 2022.[7][8]

It has also increased in usage in England and Wales, where it was ranked among the top 500 names since 2009 and among the top 200 since 2018.[9][10] It also ranks among the top 200 names in Canada, where it ranked 152nd on the popularity chart in 2021.[11]

People with the given name edit

Ophelia edit

Ofelia edit

Fictional characters edit

References edit

  1. ^ "ophelia - Origin and meaning of the name ophelia by Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com.
  2. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Ophelia". Behind the Name.
  3. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 211. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
  4. ^ Sandel, Abby (10 May 2016). "Ophelia: Baby Name of the Day". appellationmountain.net. Appellation Mountain (blog). Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Ophelia: Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity". nameberry.com. Nameberry. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  6. ^ Wattenberg, Laura (2018). The Baby Name Wizard, 2019 Revised 4th Edition: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby. Harmony Books. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7704-3647-6.
  7. ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2020 to 2021". www.ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2021 to 2022". ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Baby names in England and Wales: 2020". www.ons.gov.uk. United Kingdom Office for National Statistics. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  10. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popularity in England and Wales for the Name Ophelia". behindthename.com. Behind the Name. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  11. ^ "First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.