Derived from Greek
οφελος (ophelos) meaning "help". This name was probably created by the 15th-century poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem 'Arcadia'. It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play 'Hamlet' (1600), in which it belongs to
Hamlet's lover who eventually goes insane and drowns herself. In spite of this, the name has been used since the 19th century.