Ophelia is a beautiful name originating from ancient Greece. The meaning of Ophelia is ‘help’ or ‘aid’.
This girl’s name was originally spelled Ofelia and was first used in the 1504 poem by Jacopo Sannazaro, Arcadia. The name is thought to derive from the Greek word ōphéleia, also meaning ‘aid’.
Ophelia was brought into the limelight by William Shakespeare. The famous playwright gave this name to Hamlet’s love interest in his late 1500s drama.
Ophelia is a Greek name typically used for baby girls. However, if you have a little boy on the way, Ophelius is the masculine alternative.
- Ophelia Name Origin: Ancient Greek
- Ophelia Name Meaning: Help or aid
- Pronunciation: uh – fee – lee – uh
- Gender: Female
How Popular is the Name Ophelia?
If you want a unique baby girl name starting with O, Ophelia may be the one for you. This name has never been a common choice here in the states. In fact, between 1958 and 2015 the name wasn’t even ranked in the top 1000 most popular baby girl
names.
However, Ophelia is starting to see a resurgence and is growing in popularity over recent years. According to the Social Security Administration, 1006 baby girls were called Ophelia in 2021, and this ancient name was ranked at number 321 – the highest the name has ever ranked.
Variations of the Name Ophelia
If you like Ophelia but are still unsure if it is the name you want to give to your baby, why not try one of these variations?
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Availia | Help | Greek |
| Filia | Friendship | Greek |
| Ofilia | Help | Greek |
| Uvelia | Help | Greek |
| Ubelia | Help | Greek |
| Ophelya | Aid or benefit | Greek |
| Ovalia | Help | Greek |
Other Amazing Greek Girls Names
If you have your heart set on a Greek name for your baby, here are some beautiful names to choose from:
| Name | Meaning |
| Athena | Greek goddess of warfare |
| Daphne | Laurel |
| Helen | Torch |
| Phoebe | Bright or Pure |
| Clio | Glory |
| Thalia | To blossom |
| Aella | Whirlwind |
Alternative Girl Names Starting with ‘O’
Maybe the name’s origin isn’t important, but you really want a girl’s name starting with O. If that’s the case, why not choose one of these?
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Olivia | Olive | Latin |
| Opal | Jewel | Sanskrit |
| Olwen | White footprint | Welsh |
| Orah | Light | Hebrew |
| Ocean | Sea | Greek |
| Octavia | Eighth | Latin |
| Orli | My light | Hebrew |
Famous People Named Ophelia
Despite being around for centuries, there are not many celebrities with the name Ophelia.
This name is most well known as the character from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. However, the meaning of the name Ophelia is ‘help’ and many up and coming activists fittingly have this name.
Here is a list of some of the few famous people named Ophelia:
- Ophelia Devourer – American model and businesswoman.
- Ophelia Dahl – Daughter of author Roald Dahl and British social activist.
- Ophelia Lovibond – British actress.
- Ophelia Pastrana – Colombian activist.
- Ophelia Saint – Daughter of Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl.