Girl Names Like Ophelia
Updated Tue Jan 16 2024
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Ophelia is one of the hottest girl names in recent years, combining dramatic flair with feminity and romance.
While still sitting outside the Top 250 in the US, Ophelia is fast on the rise. Whether you want something on fewer parents' short lists, or are looking to avoid Ophelia's tragic associations, here are 50 alternatives to Ophelia.
Ophelia has literary ties as the Shakespearean tragic heroine, making other names from his work such as Beatrice, Cordelia, Lavinia, Rosalind and Imogen perfect alternatives. Other names with that have feminine and romantic flair include Aurelia, Isadora, Cosima, and Aveline.
If it's that first initial that catches your fancy, unique girl names that start with O include Odelia, Olympia, Odette, Oriana, Ottilie, and Ophira. Or if you like the strong "Ph" sound, try Seraphina, Persephone, Phaedra, Euphelia, and Delphine.
Here is our list of girl names like Ophelia, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Imogen
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"maiden"Description:
Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
- Aurelia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"the golden one"Description:
Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
- Beatrice
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"she who brings happiness; blessed"Description:
Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee.
- Cordelia
Origin:
Latin; CelticMeaning:
"heart; daughter of the sea"Description:
Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both style and substance along with its Shakespearean pedigree.
- Ottilie
Origin:
German, FrenchMeaning:
"prosperous in battle"Description:
Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as a near-homonym for "oddly".
- Seraphina
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"ardent; fiery"Description:
Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina.
- Odette
Origin:
French, from GermanMeaning:
"wealthy"Description:
Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly soigne, sophisticated yet upbeat choice, unlike some of the more dated other 'ette'-ending names.
- Calliope
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"beautiful voice"Description:
Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry -- and also the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016, and entered the Top 500 in 2023. Similar in rhythm and sound to Penelope with usable nicknames Callie, Clio, and Lola, it is no wonder it's on the rise.
- Lavinia
Origin:
Latin, from ancient place name LaviniumDescription:
Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the mother of the Roman people.
- Persephone
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bringer of destruction"Description:
Persephone is the esoteric name of the Greek mythological daughter of Zeus by Demeter, the queen of the harvest. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was decreed by Zeus that she would spend six months of the year with her mother, allowing crops to grow, and six in mourning, thus accounting for the seasons.
- Delphine
Origin:
French from GreekMeaning:
"of Delphi; womb"Description:
Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed to be the womb of the earth. All of these derive from the Greek word delphus "womb".
- Isadora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of Isis"Description:
For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a Bella than a Dora. Now, with Theodora back in the charts and vintage names in vogue, Isadora has been slowly gaining more attention over the last decade.
- Ariadne
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"most holy"Description:
This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest in the name falls in line with the revival of other mythological names like Apollo and Athena. The trendy nickname Ari doesn't hurt either.
- Guinevere
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"Description:
Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
- Odessa
Origin:
Ukrainian place-nameDescription:
Odessa, a Ukrainian port city, was given its name by Catherine the Great, who was inspired by Homer's Odyssey. It would make an original and intriguing choice.
- Andromeda
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"advising like a man"Description:
One of the stellar unique baby names from mythology, Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of Cassiopeia who, like her mother, literally became a star--the constellation that bears her name.The Bohemian Andromeda makes a dramatic and adventurous choice in a time when four-syllable mythological names are gradually making their way into the mainstream.
- Amelie
Origin:
French variation of AmeliaMeaning:
"work"Description:
Emily gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie; it entered the American popularity list in 2002 and is now solidly established in the Top 1000.
- Leonora
Origin:
Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknownDescription:
Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora is being rediscovered by stylish parents in the US and Europe.
- Octavia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"eighth"Description:
Octavia began as the Latin, then Victorian name for an eighth child. While there aren't many eighth children anymore, this ancient Roman name has real possibilities as a substitute for the overused Olivia; recommended for its combination of classical and musical overtones. It was chosen for his daughter by Kevin Sorbo.
- Viola
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"violet"Description:
Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. With a touch of international flair, it also avoids the violent/Violet some parents have.