Ophelia
Meaninghelp · Greek
- US rank
- #264
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #230 in 1882
1,183 babies were named Ophelia in the US in 2025. It has climbed 127 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Ophelia you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Ophelia
Ophelia Lovibond
English actress (born 1986)
Choose Ophelia and your child shares a first name with Ophelia Lovibond, an English actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ophelia, like who?” Ophelia Lovibond's Wikipedia article is available in 26 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Ophelia Lovibond on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,359 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Ophelia, 1,183 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ophelia would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryOphelia has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Ophelias, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1882, when it reached #230.
- Then vs nowOphelia is 63× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 86,207 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 1,359.
- TrendOphelia has climbed 127 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #264. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedOphelia is most popular in Montana, where it ranks #105, followed by Alaska (#112) and Oregon (#131). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Greek, Ophelia means “help”.
About the name Ophelia
Ophelia is a girl name meaning “help”. It has 7 letters and 3 syllables, starting with O and ending in “-lia”. US birth records list Ophelia for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked #230 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #264, with 1,183 babies.
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 441 | 2,267 girls |
| 1890s | 405 | 2,468 girls |
| 1900s | 422 | 2,372 girls |
| 1910s | 305 | 3,282 girls |
| 1920s | 274 | 3,656 girls |
| 1930s | 183 | 5,470 girls |
| 1940s | 98 | 10,182 girls |
| 1950s | 73 | 13,725 girls |
| 1960s | 39 | 25,621 girls |
| 1970s | 26 | 38,926 girls |
| 1980s | 17 | 57,937 girls |
| 1990s | 14 | 71,378 girls |
| 2000s | 25 | 39,246 girls |
| 2010s | 230 | 4,342 girls |
| 2020s | 674 | 1,483 girls |
Questions about the name Ophelia
What does the name Ophelia mean?
Ophelia means “help” in Greek.
Is Ophelia a boy or girl name?
Ophelia is a girl name.
How popular is the name Ophelia?
Ophelia ranked #264 for US girls in 2025, given to 1,183 babies. Its best year was 1882 (#230).