Declining since 2012, #5 for girls today.
Popularity of Sophia since 1880
Babies named Sophia per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,865 |
| 1890s | 2,522 |
| 1900s | 2,460 |
| 1910s | 5,237 |
| 1920s | 3,277 |
| 1930s | 1,117 |
| 1940s | 1,054 |
| 1950s | 1,578 |
| 1960s | 4,908 |
| 1970s | 4,581 |
| 1980s | 10,823 |
| 1990s | 24,503 |
| 2000s | 119,251 |
| 2010s | 181,174 |
| 2020s | 74,758 |
Meaning & origin
Wisdom, rendered as a name: Sophia has carried its Greek meaning openly for nearly two millennia, from Byzantine dedications to European courts to the top of the American charts. Its modern ascent began in the 1990s and crested in 2012, the middle year of a 2011–2013 reign at No. 1, when it seemed every preschool had a Sophia or two. The tide has been going out slowly ever since.
Slowly is the operative word. In 2025 Sophia still ranked No. 5 nationally, given to about one of every 128 newborn girls, with its strongest concentrations in Vermont, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. Add in the Sofia spelling, itself No. 9, and the sound remains among the most-heard for American girls. Sophia's staying power rests on genuine substance: a real word with a noble meaning, effortless in a dozen languages, dignified at every age, and equipped with Sophie for the playground years.
Sophia is the ordinary Greek word for "wisdom," used from early Christian times both as a personal name and as a theological concept, Constantinople's great church, Hagia Sophia, is dedicated to Holy Wisdom, not to a woman. The legend of St. Sophia, martyred mother of daughters named Faith, Hope, and Charity, probably grew out of that abstraction. The name was long a favorite of European royalty and nobility, entering steady English use in the seventeenth century with the Hanoverians; the Act of Settlement of 1701 routes the British succession through Sophia of Hanover. In the United States it was a respectable nineteenth-century name that faded, then surged spectacularly from the 1990s, holding the No. 1 position from 2011 through 2013.
Read more: Sophia on Wikipedia
Where Sophia is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Sophia” around the world
Where Sophia lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
505
babies in 2024
Ireland
#14
in 2025
New Zealand
#11
in 2025
Quebec
#25
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#6
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Sophie, Soph
Famous people named Sophia
- Sophia Loren · Italian film star
- Sophia of Hanover · electress whose heirs inherit the British throne
- Sophia Bush · American actress and activist
Sibling names for Sophia
Names that share Sophia's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Olivia, Isabella, Amelia, Juliana, Vivian, Adriana, Alexa, Alexandra, Alexia, Alivia, Alyssa, Anastasia, Angelica, Arianna, Bella, Clarissa, Elisabeth, Elliana, Emely, Gabriella, Helena, Jana, Lexi, Liliana, Lilliana, Lydia, Maria, Abriella, Adelyn, Adrianna, Alecia, Aleena, Alethea, Alexie, Alianna, Alycia, Alyvia, Amalia, Anabella, Annabell, Annastasia, Aryana, Aryanna, Athena, Camilla, Casandra, Charlize, Chloey, Corinna, Eleni, Elianna, Ellianna, Elsy, Emelia, Emmalee, Isabell, Izabella, Jaqueline, Jessa, Julianna, Karolina, Leonora, Liana, Lianna, Lilia, Lilianna, Lillianna, Lilyana, Lina, Livia, Marianna, Melany, Melina, Miabella, Nataly, Nathalia, Nathaly, Nicola, Rhema, Abbigale, Abygail, Adalina, Alexsandra, Alexzandria, Alisia, Allisson, Aly, Alyanna, Amiah, Amilia, Analeah, Analeigh, Angelee, Angelena, Angeli, Angelie, Anyah, Arianny, Aribella, Arieanna, Arisbeth, Ariyanna, Arriana, Aubrielle, Camillia, Charis, Christinia, Delylah, Despina, Deysi, Eleana, Elene, Eleonora, Elisia, Ellena, Ellia, Ellyana, Elysa, Elyza, Emalee, Emarie, Emiley, Emilly, Emmalynn, Evalina, Evalynn, Franchesca, Frederica, Gabriell, Gissell, Hayli, Issabella, Izabel, Izabell, Izabelle, Izzabella, Jennah, Julieth, Julietta, Karely, Kataleya, Klaire, Leeah, Leyah, Lillyana, Lillyanna, Lilyanna, Madelynne, Marya, Maryah, Meleah, Melia, Michaella, Micheala, Milania, Mirabella, Naila, Natali, Noemy, Olyvia, Viki, Viktoria, Xenia, Abbygale, Abigaile, Ailynn, Aleesia, Alesandra, Alexanderia, Alexiah, Alexsa, Alexxa, Alexy, Alexya, Alicea, Alissia, Aliviah, Allee, Allyanna, Alyss, Alyxandra, Ameila, Ameliah, Ameliana, Amellia, Amely, Amelya, Ameria, Amillia, Amilya, Amylia, Analie, Analis, Angeleah, Angelli, Angelyna, Anjela, Annali, Annalicia, Annaly, Ariann, Ariannah, Arianni, Avagrace, Avalina, Avamarie, Camilia, Charlott, Charlotta, Dimitra, Eleina, Elivia, Eliyana, Ellaina, Ellana, Elleana, Elleanna, Ellieana, Ellieanna, Ellisa, Ellyanna, Elycia, Elysha, Elyssia, Elyzabeth, Emaly, Emalynn, Emelina, Emelly, Emilea, Emmagrace, Emmalea, Emmalina, Emmaly, Emmanuela, Emmarose, Emmelia, Emylee, Esabella, Evangelia, Evangelyn, Evany, Eviana, Fotini, Gabrianna, Gabryella, Geanna, Giabella, Gionna, Heily, Helina, Ilena, Ilyanna, Ioanna, Izzabelle, Jessia, Jhoana, Kallee, Kamyla, Karmella, Leianna, Leydi, Liseth, Loralai, Lyvia, Madalin, Madalyne, Maddy, Madilynne, Maribell, Maryana, Maygen, Mckennah, Mikaella, Mikhaila, Monalisa, Nataliah, Olivea, Oliviah, Oliviana, Olivya, Raphaela, Reigna, Victorya, Yvanna, Yzabella, Abagayle, Abbegail, Aby, Adalyna, Adelheid, Adelyna, Adriyanna, Aletheia, Alicha, Alivya, Allina, Allycia, Alyviah, Alyzabeth, Amayia, Ameilia, Ameliyah, Amylee, Anaalicia, Analeigha, Angeliki, Angellina, Annaleia, Annalysa, Annalysia, Annalyssa, Annastacia, Annelisa, Arayna, Ariahna, Arielis, Aryannah, Aryella, Aryiana, Aryianna, Atheena, Aubrei, Ayrabella, Bellamarie, Cabella, Camyla, Dimitria, Edlin, Ekaterini, Elainah, Eleanna, Eleftheria, Elissia, Eliyanna, Ellianah, Ellina, Ellisha, Ellyssa, Elysabeth, Emalia, Emelynn, Emilianna, Emillia, Emilya, Emmalia, Emmalyne, Emmalynne, Emmamarie, Emmely, Emmilyn, Evalynne, Evelyna, Gabbriella, Gabbrielle, Haidy, Ileanna, Isabellah, Issabelle, Iszabella, Itzabella, Iviana, Jeorgia, Jia, Juliah, Juliani, Juliannah, Juliett, Julina, Julionna, Julliana, Julyana, Kalliopi, Karolyne, Kharis, Leahna, Lilyonna, Lincy, Liya, Lulia, Lya, Lylian, Lyliana, Mariaha, Marianny, Markella, Micaella, Mikhaela, Miquela, Natalyah, Natalye, Natlie, Nattalie, Olivianna, Sabrinna, Saraiah, Sharlotte, Tanyah, Toula, Vicktoria, Zoi, Ahriana, Alexsandria, Alicianna, Allecia, Angalina, Arabela, Ellysa, Emalina, Gianelle, Lilleigh, Macrina, Marabella, Abbigal, Adrieana, Agape, Ahlivia, Alayssa, Alecea, Aleighna, Alexandrya, Alexea, Alexias, Alexiya, Alexxia, Alezandra, Alianis, Alichia, Alisah, Alissah, Alithia, Amaliah, Ameliya, Amiliah, Anastaisa, Anjolina, Annalaya, Annaliz, Anyelina, Avabella, Avagail, Bellagrace, Bellanie, Bianna, Charlii, Chrisoula, Christna, Danielys, Daniyla, Eirene, Elaiza, Eliahna, Elizabelle, Elliannah, Elliyana, Ellizabeth, Emalea, Emiliah, Emilina, Emilygrace, Emmaclaire, Emmaleah, Emmalena, Emmali, Emmilia, Emylia, Evagelia, Fransheska, Gabrella, Gabrielly, Gabrille, Gracianna, Isabelly, Isbella, Isobella, Ivannah, Izabellah, Jaonna, Jasime, Juliahna, Jullia, Jullianna, Julyanna, Kalasia, Kyriaki, Lachina, Leliana, Liliahna, Lillianah, Lillieanna, Lilyahna, Lilyanah, Lydiana, Madalee, Mady, Madylyn, Marybella, Meria, Miabelle, Miaisabella, Milaina, Natelie, Nattaly, Panayiota, Pascha, Secilia, Sophira, Stellah, Tahtiana, Tallia, Tessah, Vasilia, Victoriah, Yianna, Zacaria
Brothers: Alexander, Sebastian, Julian, Gabriel, Dominic, Anthony, Alex, Damian, Emmanuel, Jake, Marcus, Nicolas, Nikolas, Raphael, Ty, Aden, Aleczander, Aleksander, Alexzander, Andreas, Andru, Brayan, Casimir, Constantine, Cyril, Demetri, Gabe, Gabrial, Horace, Jacobi, Jaeden, Jaxsen, Jessy, Leon, Lyam, Mathias, Matthias, Maxim, Maximilian, Nathen, Nestor, Nick, Rob, Romeo, Sabastian, Valentin, Vinny, Zack, Alexandros, Alexsander, Antoni, Athan, Athanasios, Benjamen, Carmello, Christos, Davi, Demetrios, Dimitrios, Domonic, Elyas, Ethen, Gavino, Geovanni, Ioannis, Isacc, Jenson, Jeramiah, Jeremias, Konstantinos, Michaelangelo, Nickolaus, Nikolaos, Panagiotis, Stevan, Vasilios, Wiliam, Zach, Zaden, Abie, Adrean, Agustus, Aidin, Alekzander, Alexandar, Alyjah, Amilcar, Anastasios, Andreus, Andruw, Anthoni, Anthonio, Bejamin, Cayleb, Constantinos, Demetre, Demetruis, Dimitris, Domonick, Elija, Elijiah, Ellias, Ellijah, Endy, Ethaniel, Evangelos, Gaberial, Gaberiel, Gabryel, Georgios, Giannis, Ilias, Izek, Jaccob, Jakeb, Jeferson, Jeovany, Jhonatan, Joachim, Loukas, Luccas, Markos, Micael, Michaell, Nichalos, Nicholi, Nicholis, Nicholos, Nicholus, Nickalus, Nicolaus, Nikos, Petros, Rafeal, Sabas, Sebastain, Spiro, Spiros, Stanislaus, Stavros, Theodoros, Trebor, Yannis, Yianni, Zacari, Zachry, Aidenn, Aiyden, Alecsander, Alexande, Alexios, Alexxander, Alezander, Angelos, Antonios, Aristotle, Arris, Athony, Banjamin, Caileb, Casmer, Cebastian, Chistian, Constantin, Costas, Demetreus, Domenik, Ediel, Edwar, Elikai, Esias, Ethin, Euclid, Fabion, Gabreil, Gerasimos, Haralambos, Hason, Heitor, Izzac, Jacson, Jakaiden, Jasn, Jaxxson, Jocob, Joeanthony, Johncarlo, Kongmeng, Kostas, Kyrillos, Ladislaus, Matheu, Mathius, Mattheo, Maxamus, Maxmillian, Micholas, Napolean, Nathanal, Niccolas, Nicklos, Nicko, Nickoles, Nickoli, Nykolas, Orest, Plato, Ralpheal, Stelios, Symeon, Vasilis, Willliam, Yanni, Alecxander, Eleftherios, Issaac, Jacub, Jakeob, Jaydien, Maxamillian, Alekxander, Allex, Amdrew, Amiliano, Andrewjames, Anjelo, Anthonny, Athanasius, Chamberlain, Dabid, Demetres, Demitrios, Demitris, Domnic, Elih, Ezaiah, Givanni, Izacc, Jackob, Jahvier, Jaimes, Jhovani, Joeziah, Jony, Joshia, Jozeph, Jsaon, Julias, Juriel, Jusitn, Kyriakos, Lexander, Makarios, Marios, Mattheu, Maximos, Nichlos, Nicholaos, Nicholous, Nickalos, Nickalous, Nickolaos, Nikholas, Nikolis, Nocholas, Panayiotis, Pantelis, Pavlos, Platon, Samnang, Savalas, Sebasthian, Spyridon, Spyros, Stephanos, Thoams, Tomothy, Topher, Ustin, Wilian, Xayvier, Zacchary, Zacharee
Names like Sophia
Names whose popularity has moved with Sophia's over the last 50 years.
