Opal
The iridescent gemstone, ultimately from Sanskrit upala, “jewel”; a Victorian favorite.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Opal appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1904 to 1919. Its biggest year was 1918, when 2,847 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 94 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1911, at No. 81. In 2025 it ranked No. 423 for girls. All told, 74,257 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Explore Opal interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 294 | No. 294 |
| 1890s | 1,666 | No. 161 |
| 1900s | 6,791 | No. 82 |
| 1910s | 20,386 | No. 81 |
| 1920s | 21,542 | No. 101 |
| 1930s | 8,529 | No. 156 |
| 1940s | 3,792 | No. 273 |
| 1950s | 1,712 | No. 580 |
| 1960s | 897 | No. 920 |
| 1970s | 704 | No. 1316 |
| 1980s | 527 | No. 1735 |
| 1990s | 304 | No. 3078 |
| 2000s | 559 | No. 2253 |
| 2010s | 2,167 | No. 680 |
| 2020s | 3,669 | No. 423 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.