Fun Facts About the Name Ophilia
- 22 babies named Ophilia: U.S. records list 22 babies given the name Ophilia from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ophilia Mean?
Ophilia, an English spelling variant of Ophelia, means "help," "aid," or "benefit." The name comes from Greek ōpheleia (ὠφέλεια), a noun related to the verb ōpheleō (ὠφελέω), "to help" or "be useful." The usual explanation treats the name as a borrowing of this Greek word. A less common popular account connects it with Greek ophis ("snake"), but that is not the standard derivation. The ending that resembles the Greek suffix -philia ("love") is not that element; it comes from the altered spelling of ōpheleia.
Ophilia Name History & Origins
The name Ophelia is associated with the Italian poet Jacopo Sannazaro, who used it for a character in his pastoral romance Arcadia, published in 1504. The form is Greek-derived, but its passage into Renaissance literature is Italian. In English, the name is famous from William Shakespeare's Hamlet, written about 1599 - 1601, where Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and sister of Laertes; her madness and drowning are among the play's best-known scenes.
Ophilia is an alternative English spelling of that literary name. It keeps the same stress and vowel pattern as Ophelia but changes the letter after h from e to i. The spelling is not the one used by Sannazaro or Shakespeare; it is a variant spelling in English rather than a separate name with its own etymology. Its pronunciation is usually modeled on Ophelia's.
How Popular is the Name Ophilia?
Ophilia has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1915. Its best rank was #3,356 in 1915.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,850 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #4,178 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1915 | #3,356 | 8 | 0.0008% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ophilia Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Ophilia's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ophilia's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.