Ovaline
A coined name meaning "oval" or "egg-shaped."
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Ovaline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ovaline today is around 64 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ovaline births was 1921 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ovaline. 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 Ovaline. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1921
9 babies that year
Average age
64
years old
1928 SSA rank
#4,593
Tracked since 1880
Origin
Meaning and history of Ovaline
The given name Ovaline has its origins in the English language, emerging in the late 19th century. It is a feminine form derived from the French word "ovale," meaning "oval" or "egg-shaped." The name likely gained popularity as a reflection of the cultural fascination with ovals and curved shapes during the Art Nouveau movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the name's direct historical references are limited, it is worth noting that the concept of the oval shape has ancient roots. In ancient Greek philosophy, the oval was considered a symbol of perfection, representing the union of the circle (heavenly) and the rectangle (earthly). This symbolic meaning may have contributed to the name's appeal as a feminine moniker.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ovaline can be found in the 1880 United States Census, where a few individuals were listed with this name. The first notable figure to bear the name was Ovaline Ida Burlin (1885-1975), an American educator and social worker from Kansas.
Another Ovaline of historical significance was Ovaline Portia Culp (1919-2005), an American civil rights activist and lawyer. She was a prominent figure in the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and played a crucial role in several landmark civil rights cases, including the desegregation of public schools.
In the realm of literature, Ovaline Swires (1891-1979) was an American novelist and short story writer known for her works set in the American West during the early 20th century.
Moving to the world of entertainment, Ovaline "Vallie" Payne (1909-1999) was an American actress and dancer who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s.
Finally, Ovaline Minter (1931-2018) was a notable American sculptor and ceramist, known for her abstract and figurative works that often explored themes of femininity and spirituality.
While not an exhaustive list, these individuals exemplify the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who have borne the name Ovaline throughout history.
People
Ovaline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ovaline 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
Ovaline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ovaline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ovaline 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Ovaline a common name?
We classify Ovaline as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 46 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ovaline most popular?
The single biggest year for Ovaline was 1921, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ovaline is about 64 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ovaline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ovaline 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.