girl's name
Utopia
yoo-TOH-pee-uh (English)
- Origin Greek, English
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 4
- Letters 6
- Births on record 44
Utopia is a rare girl's name from the word coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book about an ideal island. Built from Greek ou, "not," and topos, "place," it literally means "no place," though it's come to mean a perfect society.
- Utopia is a name of Greek, English origin.
- Peaked in 1978, when 8 babies were given the name.
- It has largely dropped out of use.
- First appears in US birth records in 1976.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Utopia Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 1980s.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 19 |
| 1980s | 25 |
What Utopia Means
Utopia means no place, a joke by its inventor, and it now signifies an imagined perfect world. As a name it carries an idealistic hope, with an irony that only readers of More will catch.
Where Utopia Comes From
Thomas More built the word from Greek ou, not, and topos, a place, for his Latin book Utopia, which describes a fictional island society. The pun is that it also sounds like Greek eu, good, so a good place and no place are both hinted at. English took the word as an adjective and a noun within a few decades, and utopian became a term for visionary social schemes. As a personal name it's very unusual. American birth records show it only for a few years in the 1970s and 1980s, a time when parents experimented widely with new sounds.
Utopia in Use
Word names of this kind tend to be chosen for their hopeful sense.
How Popular Is Utopia?
In 1985, Utopia was given to 7 babies in the United States. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published figures for the United States.
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Utopia
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Utopia Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Utopia over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Utopia
- English yoo-TOH-pee-uh /juːˈtoʊpiə/
Sibling Names for Utopia
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Utopia — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Utopia
What does the name Utopia mean?
No place, from Greek ou and topos, and now a perfect society.
Who invented the word Utopia?
Sir Thomas More, for his 1516 book.
Is Utopia a real name?
Yes, though it's very rare.
How popular is the name Utopia?
In 1985, Utopia was given to 7 babies in the United States. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published figures for the United States.
Is Utopia a girl's or a boy's name?
Utopia is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Utopia?
Utopia has 4 syllables.
When was Utopia most popular?
Utopia peaked in 1978, when 8 babies were given the name. It has largely dropped out of use.