Opal Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Opal has its roots in Sanskrit, meaning 'precious stone'. It evolved through several languages, including Greek and Latin, reflecting its association with beauty and rarity. The name carries traits of uniqueness and elegance, with no significant biblical relevance. It gained popularity in the late 19th century and is currently seen as vintage and sophisticated.
The name Opal is most popular in Oklahoma, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Girl name among the G.I. Generation generation in the South region. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is gaining popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Opal has been stalled for male in MidWest, too falling for female in MidWest, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, too falling for female in South, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Opal' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 1243rd out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 2458th out of 6773 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 105th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 237th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 719th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 1456th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 2669th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 2780th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 716th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Opal' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Opal"
Pronunciation
/ˈoʊpəl/
Origin
Sanskrit
Etymology
The name Opal is derived from the Sanskrit word 'upala', which means 'precious stone'. This term was later adopted into Greek as 'opallios', further evolving into the Latin 'opalus'.
Meaning
precious stone
Language Evolution
Sanskrit: upala, Greek: opallios, Latin: opalus, Old French: opale, Middle English: opal
Historical Usage
The name Opal gained popularity in the late 19th century, particularly in the United States, as a result of the gemstone's increasing fame and associations with beauty and rarity.
Variants & Derivatives
Opaline, Opalina
Modern Popularity & Image
The name Opal is perceived as vintage and elegant, often associated with the gemstone's beauty and the qualities of uniqueness and rarity.
Famous People
Opal Lee, an activist known for her work in promoting Juneteenth, Opal Tometi, one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement
Explore More Opal Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Opal"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Opal"
"Opal" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 1243rd of 7545 | 531 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 2458th of 6773 | 175 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 105th of 9107 | 45,244 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 237th of 9204 | 14,147 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 719th of 12526 | 3,448 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 1456th of 19264 | 1,146 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 2669th of 27321 | 669 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 2780th of 35406 | 937 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 716th of 30306 | 4,811 |
Regional Popularity of "Opal" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
83.05% 1176th/1416 |
- |
47.00% 1112th/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
82.83% 1949th/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
Regional Popularity of "Opal" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
6.71% 95th/1416 |
32.56% 449th/1379 |
2.83% 67th/2366 |
11.56% 132nd/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
14.29% 221st/1546 |
47.88% 745th/1556 |
7.18% 169th/2353 |
22.24% 344th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
32.24% 718th/2227 |
90.08% 2189th/2430 |
17.60% 502nd/2853 |
37.48% 1040th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
60.88% 1788th/2937 |
68.39% 2382nd/3483 |
35.11% 1235th/3518 |
51.26% 2073rd/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
85.07% 3135th/3685 |
73.25% 3278th/4475 |
52.52% 2728th/5194 |
65.68% 4149th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
66.11% 3029th/4582 |
100.00% 5164th/5164 |
50.58% 3699th/7313 |
29.00% 2164th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
14.28% 569th/3984 |
29.37% 1318th/4487 |
12.64% 862nd/6822 |
8.86% 556th/6276 |
State-by-State Popularity of "Opal"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Opal" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.