Opal is a distinctive choice, ranked #526 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Opal in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#526
US Rank #450
About the Name Opal
Opal is currently at its most popular point on record, sitting at UK #526. The name has climbed 674 places in the last five years — a significant surge by any measure. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Opal is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #450, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Opal
Unlikely. With around 74 UK babies named Opal per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Opal in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Opal is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 674 places over the last five years to #526 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Opal is more popular in the US (#450) than in the UK (#526). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Opal include: Opal Sofer — Opal Sofer is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem and the Israel women's national team.; Andamooka Opal — The Andamooka Opal is a famous opal which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 on the occasion of her first visit to South Australia.; Opal Lee — Opal Lee is an American retired teacher, counselor, and activist in the movement to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday..
Opal appears in the US top 500 at #450 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
74
UK babies named Opal (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 674 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Opal
Likely around 1 other Opal in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Opal
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
The Andamooka Opal is a famous opal which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 on the occasion of her first visit to South Australia. The opal was mined in Andamooka in 1949.
Opal Irene Whiteley was an American nature writer and diarist who gained international fame for the publication of her childhood diary, which featured meditations and observations of nature and wildlife. Raised in logging camps in rural Oregon, Whiteley was considered by some a child prodigy, and expressed intense interest in both writing and science in her youth.
Opal Butterfly was an English psychedelic rock group from Oxfordshire, which was active between 1968 and 1970. Although the band itself did not gain widespread success, the musicians did go on to conduct successful musical careers.
Opal Lee is an American retired teacher, counselor, and activist in the movement to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. She is often described as the "grandmother of Juneteenth".