Opaline
Having an opalescent luster or luminous coloring reminiscent of opals.
Name Census estimates that about 30 living Americans carry the first name Opaline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Opaline today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Opaline births was 1931 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Opaline. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Opaline. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
30
~ 1 in 11,425,145 Americans
Peak year
1931
21 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,111
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Opaline: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Opaline from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 83 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Opaline 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 Opaline during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Opaline
The name Opaline has its origins in the French language. It was derived from the word "opale," which means "opal" in English. The name likely emerged sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century, when the gemstone opal became popular in Europe.
Opaline is a feminine name that refers to the iridescent, milky appearance of the opal gemstone. The name was likely inspired by the stone's beauty and unique optical properties, which create a shimmering, rainbow-like effect.
In ancient times, opals were associated with various mythological and mystical beliefs. In Greek mythology, the opal was believed to be the gift of the gods, bestowed upon mortals as a symbol of hope and purity. In Roman mythology, the opal was thought to possess the power of conferring invisibility upon its wearer.
The earliest recorded use of the name Opaline can be traced back to France in the early 19th century. One of the earliest notable individuals with this name was Opaline Nicot (1840-1919), a French painter and engraver who was active during the 19th century.
Another notable figure with the name Opaline was Opaline Bastien (1887-1978), a French actress and singer who performed in several films during the early 20th century.
In the world of literature, Opaline makes an appearance as a character in the novel "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton, published in 1905. The character, whose full name is Opaline Satterlee, is described as a wealthy socialite in New York's high society.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Opaline was Opaline LeRenard (1920-2008), a French-Canadian actress and singer who was active in both film and television. She had a successful career spanning over six decades.
Another notable figure was Opaline Decker (1923-2011), an American artist and painter known for her abstract expressionist works. Her paintings have been exhibited in various galleries and museums across the United States.
While the name Opaline is not as common today as it once was, it remains a unique and intriguing name with a rich history and association with the beautiful opal gemstone.
People
Opaline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Opaline 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
Opaline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Opaline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 30 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Opaline 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 11,425,145 US residents.
Is Opaline a common name?
We classify Opaline as "Very Rare". It ranks above 46.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 202 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Opaline most popular?
The single biggest year for Opaline was 1931, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Opaline is about 53 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Opaline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Opaline 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.