Opal Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Opal is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Opal?
Opal is spelled O-P-A-L. The name has 4 letters.
Opal at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Opal is the name of a precious gemstone known for its display of various colors.
- Origin
- The name Opal is derived from the English word for the opal gemstone, which itself comes from Latin and Greek terms referring to precious stones.
- Pronunciation
- OH-pal · 2 syllables
Opal Popularity in 2025
Rank#423
Recorded Births740
- Girls usage rose 26 places to #423 and recorded 44 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Opal Mean?
Opal is the name of a precious gemstone known for its display of various colors.
Origin: The name Opal is derived from the English word for the opal gemstone, which itself comes from Latin and Greek terms referring to precious stones.
How Do You Pronounce Opal?
PronunciationOH-pal
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Opal?
- History
- The use of Opal as a given name increased in English-speaking countries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inspired by the gemstone.
Opal Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2002 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 740 | #423 |
| 2024 | Girls | 696 | #449 |
| 2023 | Girls | 631 | #485 |
| 2022 | Girls | 595 | #524 |
| 2021 | Girls | 562 | #545 |
| 2020 | Girls | 445 | #648 |
| 2019 | Girls | 427 | #680 |
| 2018 | Girls | 337 | #807 |
| 2017 | Girls | 321 | #847 |
| 2016 | Girls | 261 | #1,012 |
| 2015 | Girls | 233 | #1,110 |
| 2014 | Girls | 183 | #1,301 |
| 2013 | Girls | 125 | #1,684 |
| 2012 | Girls | 105 | #1,904 |
| 2011 | Girls | 93 | #2,073 |
| 2010 | Girls | 82 | #2,313 |
| 2009 | Girls | 77 | #2,465 |
| 2008 | Girls | 87 | #2,253 |
| 2007 | Girls | 69 | #2,647 |
| 2006 | Girls | 79 | #2,375 |
| 2005 | Girls | 42 | #3,509 |
| 2004 | Girls | 60 | #2,711 |
| 2003 | Girls | 39 | #3,590 |
| 2002 | Girls | 38 | #3,523 |
When Was Opal Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1918 · Girls
2,847 recorded births
National rank #94
1921 · Girls
2,713 recorded births
National rank #103
1920 · Girls
2,702 recorded births
National rank #101
1919 · Girls
2,652 recorded births
National rank #98
Where Opal Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| AK | #90 | 7 |
| MT | #91 | 10 |
| OR | #125 | 27 |
| ID | #133 | 15 |
| SD | #139 | 8 |
| AR | #153 | 19 |
| UT | #172 | 26 |
| ME | #176 | 6 |