Ophelia is a feminine given name, probably derived from Ancient Greek ὠφέλεια (ōphéleia, "benefit").[1][2]
![]() Ophelia or Pause for Thought by Pierre Auguste Cot, 1870. | |
Gender | female |
---|---|
Origin | |
Word/name | Greek |
Meaning | help |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Ophelia_-_Hybrid_Tea.jpg/220px-Ophelia_-_Hybrid_Tea.jpg)
The name is best known as a character from William Shakespeare's Hamlet who has a tragic end. More modern associations, including Ophelia, a song by The Lumineers, now also influence perceptions of the name, which also has a history of use dating back to the late 1800s.[3][4][5] Author Laura Wattenberg noted that the name is elegant, exotic, and similar in style to the popular name Olivia but has a more Gothic, romantic sensibility that some parents find appealing.[6] Ophelia has also been the subject of numerous songs, paintings, film and television productions.
Ofelia is the Spanish-language spelling of the name.
Usage
editThe name has ranked among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States since 2015 and among the top 300 since 2022.[7][8]
It has also increased in usage in England and Wales, where it has been ranked among the top 500 names since 2009 and among the top 200 since 2018.[9][10] It also ranks among the top 200 names in Canada, where it ranked 152nd on the popularity chart in 2021.[11]
People with the given name
editOphelia
edit- Ophelia Gordon Bell (1915–1975), English sculptor
- Ophelia Benson (born 1948), American author, editor, blogger, and feminist
- Ophelia Cabral (1938–2016), Indian actress, singer, playwright and director
- Ophelia Clenlans (c. 1841–1907), American civil rights activist and journalist
- Ophelia Crossland (born 1983), Ghanaian fashion designer
- Ophelia Dahl (born 1964), British social justice and health care advocate
- Ophelia DeVore (1922–2014), American businesswoman, publisher and model
- Ophelia Dimalanta (1932–2010), Filipino poet
- Ophelia Settle Egypt (1903–1984), American social worker, educator, sociologist and writer
- Ophelia Ford (born 1950), Tennessee politician
- Ophelia Hayford (born 1973), Ghanaian politician
- Ophélia Kolb (born 1982), French actress
- Ophelia S. Lewis (born 1961), Liberian author
- Ophelia Lovibond (born 1986), English actress
- Ophelia Marie (born 1951), Dominican singer
- Ophelia Nick (born 1973), German veterinarian and politician
- Ophelia Pastrana (born 1982), Colombian-Mexican physicist, economist, speaker, Youtuber, technologist and comedian
- Ophelia Hoff Saytumah, Liberian politician
Ofelia
edit- Ofelia Calcetas-Santos (died 2011), United Nations rapporteur
- Ofelia Cano (born 1959), Mexican actress
- Ofelia Domínguez Navarro (1894–1976), Cuban writer, teacher, lawyer, feminist and activist
- Ofelia Echagüe Vera (1904–1987), Paraguayan painter and educator
- Ofelia Esparza (born 1932), Chicana altar artist
- Ofelia Fernández (born 2000), Argentine politician and political activist
- Ofelia Fox (1923–2006), Cuban poet, lecturer and radio personality
- Ofelia Garcia (disambiguation), multiple people
- Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi (born 1942), Filipino visual artist
- Ofelia Giudicissi Curci (1934–1981), Italian poet and archaeologist
- Ofelia Guilmáin (1921–2005), Spanish actress
- Ofelia Hooper (1900–1981), Panamanian sociologist, poet, professor and civil rights activist
- Ofelia Malinov (born 1996), Italian volleyball player
- Ofelia Malcos Amaro (born 1968), Mexican politician
- Ofélia Marques (1902–1952), Portuguese painter, caricaturist and illustrator
- Ofelia Márquez Huitzil (born 1959), Mexican artist
- Ofelia Medina (born 1950), Mexican actress, singer and screenwriter
- Ofelia Montesco (1936–1983), Peruvian-born actress
- Ofelia Nieto (1898–1931), Spanish singer
- Ofelia Olivero, Argentine-American biologist
- Ofélia Ramos (born 1970), Portuguese politician, lawyer and businesswoman
- Ofélia Ramos Anunciato (1924–1998), Brazilian chef
- Ofelia Rey Castelao (born 1956), Galician historian, writer and professor
- Ofelia Rodríguez Acosta (1902–1975), Cuban writer, journalist, feminist and activist
- Ofelia M. Samar-Sy (born 1962), Filipino physician
- Ofelia Schutte (born 1945), Panamanian philosopher and professor
- Ofelia Taitelbaum (born 1949), Costa Rican politician and businesswoman
- Ofelia Uribe de Acosta (1900–1988), Colombian suffragist
- Ofelia Zepeda (born 1952), American poet and intellectual
Fictional characters
edit- Ophelia, a character from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
- Ofelia, a character in Pan's Labyrinth
- Ophelia, a character in Claymore
- Ophelia, a character from APB: Reloaded
- Ophelia, a character from Brütal Legend
- Ophelia, a character from Romeo × Juliet
- Ophelia, the daughter of Odin, a character from Fire Emblem Fates
- Ophelia Frump, of the television series The Addams Family
- Ophelia Nigmos, a character appearing in The Sims 2
- Ophelia Ramírez, of the television series The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
- Ophelia St. Clare, of the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Ofelia Salazar, fictional character in Fear the Walking Dead
- Ofelia Santoro, a character in the book Third and Indiana
- Ophelia Sarkissian, a Marvel Comics character and often foe of Captain America and the Avengers
References
edit- ^ "ophelia - Origin and meaning of the name ophelia by Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com.
- ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Ophelia". Behind the Name.
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 211. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
- ^ Sandel, Abby (10 May 2016). "Ophelia: Baby Name of the Day". appellationmountain.net. Appellation Mountain (blog). Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Ophelia: Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity". nameberry.com. Nameberry. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Wattenberg, Laura (2018). The Baby Name Wizard, 2019 Revised 4th Edition: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby. Harmony Books. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7704-3647-6.
- ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2020 to 2021". www.ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2021 to 2022". ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ "Baby names in England and Wales: 2020". www.ons.gov.uk. United Kingdom Office for National Statistics. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popularity in England and Wales for the Name Ophelia". behindthename.com. Behind the Name. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.