Ofelia
A feminine name of Spanish origin, meaning "wealth" or "prosperity".
Name Census estimates that about 5,432 living Americans carry the first name Ofelia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ofelia today is around 45 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ofelia births was 1929 (154 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ofelia. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
5.4K
~ 1 in 63,099 Americans
Peak year
1929
154 babies that year
Average age
45
years old
1937 SSA rank
#1,902
Tracked since 1900
Gender
Gender distribution for Ofelia
Out of the 8,910 babies given the name Ofelia since 1880, 99.9% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Ofelia as a male name
- Ranked #3,885 in 1937
- 5 male births in 1937
- Peak: 1937 (5 births)
Ofelia as a female name
- Ranked #1,902 in 2024
- 105 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1929 (154 births)
Popularity
Ofelia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ofelia from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 1,109 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Ofelia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ofelia by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ofelia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ofelias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Texas, California, Arizona recorded the most babies named Ofelia, while New York, Colorado, Washington recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 774 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ofelia
The name Ofelia has its origins in the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek word "ophelos," meaning "benefit" or "advantage." The name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Ophelia, Ofelija, and Ofilia.
In Greek mythology, Ofelia was the name of a minor goddess associated with fertility and abundance. She was often depicted as a young woman carrying a cornucopia, symbolizing prosperity and plenty. The name gained popularity in ancient Greece and was later adopted by the Romans.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ofelia can be found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who mentioned a character with this name in his dialogues. Additionally, the name appears in several ancient inscriptions and records from the Classical Period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ofelia. One of the most famous is Ofelia, a character from William Shakespeare's tragic play "Hamlet," written around 1601. In the play, Ofelia is the daughter of Polonius and the love interest of Prince Hamlet.
Another notable Ofelia was Ofelia Máximo Payano (1900-1975), a Dominican poet and feminist activist. She was a prominent figure in the literary and cultural circles of her time and fought for women's rights and social justice.
In the realm of music, Ofelia Sala (1923-2011) was a renowned Mexican soprano who performed in prestigious opera houses around the world. She was particularly acclaimed for her interpretations of the works of Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini.
Ofelia Nieto (1936-2004) was a Cuban artist and painter known for her vibrant and expressive artworks that captured the essence of her native country. Her works are part of numerous private and public collections worldwide.
Ofelia Medina (born 1943) is a Mexican actress and singer who has had a successful career spanning over six decades. She has appeared in numerous telenovelas, films, and stage productions, becoming a cultural icon in her home country.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Ofelia throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and disciplines.
People
Ofelia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ofelia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ofelia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ofelia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5,432 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ofelia going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 63,099 US residents.
Is Ofelia a common name?
We classify Ofelia as "Rare". It ranks above 96.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8,910 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ofelia most popular?
The single biggest year for Ofelia was 1929, when 154 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ofelia is about 45 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ofelia a female name?
Yes, 99.9% of people registered as Ofelia in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.