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Ophelia (given name)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ophelia
Ophelia or Pause for Thought by Pierre Auguste Cot, 1870.
Genderfemale
Origin
Word/nameGreek
Meaninghelp
The hybrid tea rose Ophelia.

Ophelia is a feminine given name, probably derived from Ancient Greek ὠφέλεια (ōphéleia, "benefit").[1][2]

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

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The 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

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Ophelia

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Ofelia

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Fictional characters

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References

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  1. ^ "ophelia - Origin and meaning of the name ophelia by Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com.
  2. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Ophelia". Behind the Name.
  3. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 211. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
  4. ^ Sandel, Abby (10 May 2016). "Ophelia: Baby Name of the Day". appellationmountain.net. Appellation Mountain (blog). Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Ophelia: Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity". nameberry.com. Nameberry. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2020 to 2021". www.ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Names that increased in popularity from 2021 to 2022". ssa.gov. United States Social Security Administration. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Baby names in England and Wales: 2020". www.ons.gov.uk. United Kingdom Office for National Statistics. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  10. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popularity in England and Wales for the Name Ophelia". behindthename.com. Behind the Name. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  11. ^ "First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.