In 2015, Ophelia ranked as the 979th most used girls’ name. In the United States, Ophelia was a very rare name that stayed off the top 1000 girls’ names for over 50 years. Indeed, Ophelia is still a relatively new name with few namesakes beyond its origins. The character’s tragic end was credited for Ophelia being such an uncommon name in the years to come. The conflict between Hamlet and Ophelia’s father eventually led to her demise (1). Historians believe Sannazaro created the name from the Greek word “ōphéleia.” The poem soon became a classic, influencing other artists from William Shakespeare to Philip Sidney.īy the end of the 16th Century, the name had evolved to its modern spelling Ophelia with the opening of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” In the play, Ophelia was a Danish noblewoman and Hamlet’s love interest. The first recorded usage of Ophelia came in 1504 from Jacopo Sannazaro’s poem ”Arcadia,” where the name was spelled as “Ofelia”. Shakespeare’s usage of Ophelia to represent innocence has undeniably shaped the interpretation of the name for the few hundred years since.
In “Hamlet,” Ophelia appears on the surface as a naive, young noblewoman, but her defining characteristic is her innocence. The name Ophelia means “benefit.” It likely came from the Greek word “ōphéleia,” which also translates to “aid,” “help,” “advantage,” and “to avail”.īeyond its textbook meaning, Ophelia is often associated with the character from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Read on to find out everything you need to know about the name. Ophelia is a Greek name most notable for the character in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Ophelia very recently became a popular name for girls in the United States. What is the Origin of the Name Ophelia?.
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