Ophelia
Girl name · #264 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Ophelia? In official American birth records, Ophelia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Ophelia ranks #264 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 1,183 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #978, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,522 girls born in 2025 was named Ophelia.
The 145-year story
Ophelia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 44 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 1,223 babies and a rank of #259. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ophelia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ophelia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ophelia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ophelia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ophelia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ophelia is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Ophelia is most common in ID (2.1 per 1,000), NE (2 per 1,000), WV (2 per 1,000), IA (2 per 1,000), OR (1.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ophelia is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ophelia
Statistically, parents drawn to Ophelia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aurelia, Dahlia, Magnolia, Alessia, and Octavia.
AureliaDahliaMagnoliaAlessiaOctaviaRosaliaAmaliaLia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ophelia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,183 | #264 |
| 2024 | 1,223 | #259 |
| 2023 | 1,177 | #265 |
| 2022 | 1,169 | #271 |
| 2021 | 1,014 | #321 |
| 2020 | 794 | #391 |
| 2019 | 813 | #385 |
| 2018 | 839 | #373 |
| 2017 | 765 | #417 |
| 2016 | 533 | #582 |
| 2015 | 276 | #978 |
| 2014 | 226 | #1121 |
| 2013 | 185 | #1277 |
| 2012 | 139 | #1566 |
| 2011 | 109 | #1840 |
| 2010 | 96 | #2059 |
| 2009 | 76 | #2485 |
| 2008 | 101 | #2042 |
| 2007 | 66 | #2750 |
| 2006 | 47 | #3414 |
| 2005 | 43 | #3461 |
| 2004 | 33 | #4172 |
| 2003 | 37 | #3731 |
| 2002 | 32 | #3978 |
| 2001 | 18 | #6067 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ophelia?
In official American birth records, the name Ophelia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 44 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ophelia a popular girl name?
Ophelia ranked #264 among girls in 2025 with 1,183 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #978.
When was the name Ophelia most popular?
Ophelia peaked in 2024, when 1,223 American girls received the name (ranked #259 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ophelia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,522 newborn American girls was named Ophelia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.