Obelia
Obelia is a genus of hydrozoans, a class of mainly marine and some freshwater animal species that have both polyp and medusa stages in their life cycle. Hydrozoa belongs to the phylum Cnidaria, which are aquatic organisms that are relatively simple in structure with a diameter around 1 mm. There are currently 120 known species, with more to be discovered.
Meaning & Origin of Obelia
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Obelia is a genus of hydrozoans, a class of mainly marine and some freshwater animal species that have both polyp and medusa stages in their life cycle. Hydrozoa belongs to the phylum Cnidaria, which are aquatic organisms that are relatively simple in structure with a diameter around 1 mm. There are currently 120 known species, with more to be discovered.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Obelia
Obelia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1909, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 13 Obelias were born — ranking #2,519 that year. As of 2026, Obelia ranks #4,691 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 77 Obelias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Obelia
Phonetically similar names — useful when Obelia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Obelia
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About the name Obelia
Obelia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 77 births in the dataset. Obelia's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #2,519. Use the chart and map above to compare Obelia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.