Ophelia
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Ophelia
Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
It's certainly catching up in the UK, where, as of 2022, it's in the Top 100 and given to nearly 600 baby girls. Less likely to be heard as 'I feel ya', as it is pronounced with four syllables in the UK, Ophelia makes an arty but approachable choice.
Derived from the Ancient Greek word "opheleia", which means "help", Ophelia was used first by the poet Sannazaro in his 15th century poem "Arcadia". It was then popularized by Shakespeare's Hamlet in the 1600s and again in the 19th century by John Millais' painting.
Other namesakes include the gutsy Ophelia in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 Uncle Tom's Cabin, which seems to have had some influence on baby namers at the time, and more recently, the song "Ophelia" by The Lumineers.
Among the actresses who have played modern non-Shakespearean Ophelias are Jamie Lee Curtis in "Trading Places" and Blake Lively in "Savages". The heroine of the film Pan's Labyrinth uses the Spanish spelling, Ofelia, while a popular YA novel, Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie sticks with the Shakespearean one.
Actress Patricia Neal and author Roald Dahl named one of their now grown daughters Ophelia, and more recently musician Dave Grohl named his baby girl Ophelia Saint.
A hugely popular name on Nameberry and now out in the 'real world' too, you may hear this Shakespearean gem more often in the coming years. So, if you love Ophelia but want to beat the trends, you could try Cressida, Olympia, Cordelia, or Cerelia.
Ophelia is also given to boys.
Pronounced oh-FEEL-yuh.
As of October 2026, Ophelia ranked #264 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #232 in 1882, Nameberry popularity #131.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,121 | 226 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #979 | 276 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #582 | 533 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #417 | 765 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #373 | 839 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #385 | 813 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #391 | 794 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #321 | 1,013 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #272 | 1,167 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #265 | 1,176 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #261 | 1,215 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #264 | 1,183 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Ophelia.
Ophelia on lists
Famous Ophelias
- Ophelia BensonGirl
American feminist author
- (Emma) Ophelia DeVoreGirl
American model
- Ophelia FordGirl
American politician
- Ophelia Lucy LovibondGirl
English actress
- Ophelia MarieGirl
Dominican Calypso singer
- Ophelia DaggerGirl
YouTuber
- Ophelia Alcantara DimalantaGirl
Filipina poet
- Ophelia Magdalena DahlGirl
American social justice and health care advocate, daughter of writer Roald Dahl and actress Patricia Neal
- Ophelia Saint Grohl (b. 2014)Girl
daughter of musician Dave Grohl
Ophelia in pop culture
- OpheliaGirl
character in Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
- OpheliaGirl
character in movie "Trading Places"
- Ophelia "O" SageGirl
character in movie "Savages"
- Ophelia FrumpGirl
character on TV's "The Addams Family"
- Ophelia Jane WorthingtonGirl
Whittard, main character in "Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy" by Karen Foxlee
- "Rippling" OpheliaGirl
character in Norihiro Yagi's 'Claymore'
- OpheliaGirl
character on "The Royals"
- OpheliaGirl
character in MTV's "Awkward"
- OpheliaGirl
dog of singer Ariana Grande
- Ophelia MayerGirl
a main character on MTV's Sweet/Vicious
- "Ophelia" a song by Japanese rock group L'ArcGirl
en,Ciel
- "Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent GirlsGirl
" book by Mary Pipher
- Hurricane OpheliaGirl
2017 storm
- Ophelia BankslyGirl
main character of the webcomic "Riverside Extras" by Miri Chamberlain
- OpheliaGirl
name of Madame Hydra in the framework of Marvels agents of shield tv
- OpheliaGirl
from Disney's "Star Darlings" book series
- "The Fate Of Ophelia"Girl
Song by Taylor Swift in the album "The Life of a Showgirl"
- OpheliaGirl
song by the Lumineers