Opal
Opal is a primarily feminine given name derived from the name of the gemstone opal. The gemstone is the birthstone for October. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit upala, which means 'jewel'. It came into use along with other gemstone names during the late Victorian era. The iridescent, many-colored gem was called the "queen of gems" in ancient Rome.
Meaning & Origin of Opal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Opal is a primarily feminine given name derived from the name of the gemstone opal. The gemstone is the birthstone for October. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit upala, which means 'jewel'. It came into use along with other gemstone names during the late Victorian era. The iridescent, many-colored gem was called the "queen of gems" in ancient Rome.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Opal
Opal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 2,847 Opals were born — ranking #94 that year. As of 2026, Opal ranks #413 for baby girls with 742 births, rising sharply (+61% over the past five years). In total, more than 74K Opals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Opal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Opal 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 Opal
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About the name Opal
Opal is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 74K births in the dataset. Opal's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #81. Use the chart and map above to compare Opal'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.