Opal
A unisex given name from English from the precious stone, invented in the nineteenth century.
Every Opal since 1880 — 74,257 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Opal
Opal is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #423 in 2025 with 740 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 74,257 American babies have been named Opal. Its peak came in 1918, when 2,886 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Opal stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Opal year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 740 | #423 | — | — |
| 2024 | 696 | #449 | — | — |
| 2023 | 631 | #486 | — | — |
| 2022 | 595 | #525 | — | — |
| 2021 | 562 | #545 | — | — |
| 2020 | 445 | #649 | — | — |
| 2019 | 427 | #683 | — | — |
| 2018 | 337 | #809 | — | — |
| 2017 | 321 | #849 | — | — |
| 2016 | 261 | #1,016 | — | — |
| 2015 | 233 | #1,110 | — | — |
| 2014 | 183 | #1,304 | — | — |
| 2013 | 125 | #1,687 | — | — |
| 2012 | 105 | #1,909 | — | — |
| 2011 | 93 | #2,084 | — | — |
| 2010 | 82 | #2,336 | — | — |
| 2009 | 77 | #2,480 | — | — |
| 2008 | 87 | #2,264 | — | — |
| 2007 | 69 | #2,675 | — | — |
| 2006 | 79 | #2,390 | — | — |
| 2005 | 42 | #3,569 | — | — |
| 2004 | 60 | #2,733 | — | — |
| 2003 | 39 | #3,641 | — | — |
| 2002 | 38 | #3,577 | — | — |
| 2001 | 36 | #3,687 | — | — |
| 2000 | 32 | #3,959 | — | — |
| 1995 | 20 | #4,969 | — | — |
| 1990 | 36 | #3,131 | — | — |
| 1985 | 49 | #2,160 | — | — |
| 1980 | 64 | #1,744 | — | — |
| 1975 | 65 | #1,555 | — | — |
| 1970 | 65 | #1,523 | — | — |
| 1965 | 87 | #1,141 | — | — |
| 1960 | 133 | #923 | — | — |
| 1955 | 186 | #687 | — | — |
| 1950 | 207 | #585 | — | — |
| 1945 | 337 | #383 | — | — |
| 1940 | 521 | #273 | — | — |
| 1935 | 777 | #219 | 10 | #2,494 |
| 1930 | 1,327 | #156 | 13 | #2,265 |
| 1925 | 2,108 | #129 | 23 | #1,616 |
| 1920 | 2,702 | #101 | 31 | #1,314 |
| 1915 | 2,482 | #90 | 28 | #1,257 |
| 1910 | 1,051 | #87 | 15 | #811 |
| 1905 | 702 | #99 | — | — |
| 1900 | 432 | #140 | — | — |
| 1895 | 158 | #216 | — | — |
| 1890 | 80 | #281 | — | — |
| 1885 | 31 | #371 | — | — |
| 1880 | 5 | #912 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Opal mean?
A unisex given name from English from the precious stone, invented in the nineteenth century.
How popular is the name Opal in 2025?
Opal ranked #423 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 740 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Opal?
74,257 babies have been named Opal in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Opal most popular?
Opal peaked in 1918, when 2,886 newborns received the name.
Is Opal a boy or girl name?
Opal is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Opal rising or falling?
Opal is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.