How to say it
O · pal
/ˈoʊ.pəl/
Feminine
Opal
The opal gemstone
What it means
An English gem name from the opal, whose name traces through Latin and Greek to the Sanskrit upala, 'precious stone.'
Opal is a gemstone name for the shifting, iridescent stone, traced back through Latin opalus to the Sanskrit upala, 'precious stone.' It joins the antique jewel names with Ruby and Pearl and is the October birthstone, which makes it a natural for autumn babies. It reads vintage and quietly luminous, riding the early-1900s revival. Soft and jewel-bright.
Popularity over time
peaked at #81 in 1911, currently #423 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Worth knowing
A gemstone name like Ruby and Pearl; the October birthstone.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Opal the iridescent gemstone and October birthstone the name is taken from
Spelling variants
- Opaline
- Opalina
Names with the same feeling
See Opal from another angle
By style