Girl nameCurrently #450 in the USRising
Opal
OH-pul//ˈoʊpəl//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19184 lettersStarts with O
Meaning & origin
Opal gemstone
Opal is a jewel name for the iridescent gemstone, whose name traces through Latin and Sanskrit roots connected to precious stones. A popular late-19th-century birthstone name, it has recently returned to fashion among vintage gem names.
Opal's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Opal |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 5 |
| 1881 | 14 |
| 1882 | 13 |
| 1883 | 16 |
| 1884 | 28 |
| 1885 | 31 |
| 1886 | 28 |
| 1887 | 40 |
| 1888 | 52 |
| 1889 | 67 |
| 1890 | 80 |
| 1891 | 78 |
| 1892 | 107 |
| 1893 | 123 |
| 1894 | 164 |
| 1895 | 158 |
| 1896 | 193 |
| 1897 | 235 |
| 1898 | 262 |
| 1899 | 278 |
| 1900 | 432 |
| 1901 | 413 |
| 1902 | 506 |
| 1903 | 548 |
| 1904 | 627 |
| 1905 | 702 |
| 1906 | 727 |
| 1907 | 900 |
| 1908 | 965 |
| 1909 | 1,036 |
| 1910 | 1,066 |
| 1911 | 1,205 |
| 1912 | 1,485 |
| 1913 | 1,651 |
| 1914 | 1,918 |
| 1915 | 2,510 |
| 1916 | 2,672 |
| 1917 | 2,572 |
| 1918 | 2,886 |
| 1919 | 2,677 |
| 1920 | 2,733 |
| 1921 | 2,743 |
| 1922 | 2,593 |
| 1923 | 2,391 |
| 1924 | 2,309 |
| 1925 | 2,131 |
| 1926 | 2,050 |
| 1927 | 1,759 |
| 1928 | 1,618 |
| 1929 | 1,470 |
| 1930 | 1,340 |
| 1931 | 1,105 |
| 1932 | 1,069 |
| 1933 | 936 |
| 1934 | 906 |
| 1935 | 787 |
| 1936 | 719 |
| 1937 | 630 |
| 1938 | 591 |
| 1939 | 565 |
| 1940 | 521 |
| 1941 | 434 |
| 1942 | 453 |
| 1943 | 436 |
| 1944 | 405 |
| 1945 | 337 |
| 1946 | 330 |
| 1947 | 356 |
| 1948 | 260 |
| 1949 | 271 |
| 1950 | 207 |
| 1951 | 217 |
| 1952 | 201 |
| 1953 | 193 |
| 1954 | 170 |
| 1955 | 186 |
| 1956 | 152 |
| 1957 | 155 |
| 1958 | 113 |
| 1959 | 118 |
| 1960 | 133 |
| 1961 | 102 |
| 1962 | 99 |
| 1963 | 97 |
| 1964 | 88 |
| 1965 | 87 |
| 1966 | 72 |
| 1967 | 74 |
| 1968 | 74 |
| 1969 | 71 |
| 1970 | 65 |
| 1971 | 80 |
| 1972 | 64 |
| 1973 | 63 |
| 1974 | 73 |
| 1975 | 65 |
| 1976 | 82 |
| 1977 | 64 |
| 1978 | 70 |
| 1979 | 78 |
| 1980 | 64 |
| 1981 | 63 |
| 1982 | 56 |
| 1983 | 52 |
| 1984 | 49 |
| 1985 | 49 |
| 1986 | 55 |
| 1987 | 53 |
| 1988 | 49 |
| 1989 | 37 |
| 1990 | 36 |
| 1991 | 31 |
| 1992 | 29 |
| 1993 | 34 |
| 1994 | 29 |
| 1995 | 20 |
| 1996 | 27 |
| 1997 | 35 |
| 1998 | 39 |
| 1999 | 24 |
| 2000 | 32 |
| 2001 | 36 |
| 2002 | 38 |
| 2003 | 39 |
| 2004 | 60 |
| 2005 | 42 |
| 2006 | 79 |
| 2007 | 69 |
| 2008 | 87 |
| 2009 | 77 |
| 2010 | 82 |
| 2011 | 93 |
| 2012 | 105 |
| 2013 | 125 |
| 2014 | 183 |
| 2015 | 233 |
| 2016 | 261 |
| 2017 | 321 |
| 2018 | 337 |
| 2019 | 427 |
| 2020 | 445 |
| 2021 | 561 |
| 2022 | 595 |
| 2023 | 629 |
| 2024 | 694 |
Opal through the decades
- Opal peaked in 1918, when 2,886 babies were named Opal in the US.
- The 1920s were Opal's strongest decade, averaging 2,180 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Opal has risen 378% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Opal currently ranks #450 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Opal
Variants & spellings
Opaline