Girl's name
Sophia
Say it soh-FEE-uh
Greek origin wisdom
3 syllables
Where Sophia is loved, common and rare
Loved in Ontario, British Columbia, three German cities and three more places. Common across three other German cities, England and Wales, Ireland and 12 more places. Rare in Poland, Sweden and Catalonia.
1 in 99 girls born in Scotland in 2025
Ontario 3rdBritish Columbia 3rdAustria 5th
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 28 of the 40 official lists, among them Ontario (3rd), British Columbia (3rd) and Austria (5th).
Show all 28 placesShow less
| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario province | 3rd 2024 | 503 | about 1 in 108 |
| British Columbia province | 3rd 2023 | 136 | about 1 in 88 |
| Austria | 5th 2025 | 437 | 1 in 82 |
| New South Wales state | 6th 2025 | 286 | rank only |
| Munich city | 6th 2025 | 60 | about 1 in 70 |
| Cologne city | 7th 2023 | 59 | about 1 in 104 |
| Scotland | 9th 2025 | 181 | 1 in 99 |
| New Zealand | 11th 2025 | 124 | rank only |
| Queensland state | 12th 2025 | 179 | rank only |
| Berlin city | 12th 2023 | 99 | about 1 in 147 |
| England and Wales | 13th 2025 | 1,547 | 1 in 164 |
| Ireland | 14th 2025 | 201 | 1 in 105 |
| Northern Ireland | 15th 2025 | 68 | 1 in 107 |
| Switzerland | 18th 2025 | 174 | 1 in 195 |
| South Australia state | 18th 2025 | 52 | rank only |
| Victoria state | 22nd 2025 | 189 | rank only |
| Quebec province | 25th 2025 | 189 | about 1 in 138 |
| The Netherlands | 42nd 2025 | 300 | about 1 in 203 |
| Italy | 73rd 2024 | 459 | 1 in 390 |
| France | 88th 2025 | 560 | 1 in 512 |
| Norway | 88th 2025 | 69 | 1 in 316 |
| Poland | 141st 2025 | 73 | 1 in 1,641 |
| Sweden | 199th 2025 | 43 | about 1 in 934 |
| Catalonia region | 311th 2025 | 11 | 1 in 1,752 |
| Bonn city | 4th 2025 | 30 | about 1 in 100 |
| Nova Scotia province | 12th 2025 | 22 | rank only |
| Leipzig city | 22nd 2025 | 15 | about 1 in 175 |
| Rostock city | 36th 2025 | 5 | about 1 in 197 |
Rare, below the listed names: Spain, Hungary, Slovenia and Israel.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Denmark (top 50), Finland (top 50), Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30), Argentina (top 20) and Croatia (top 50).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages (Data.NSW) (New South Wales); Landeshauptstadt München, Statistisches Amt (opendata.muenchen.de) (Munich); Stadt Köln, Standesamt (offenedaten-koeln.de) (Cologne); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), SmartStart (New Zealand); Queensland Registry of BDM (Qld Open Data Portal) (Queensland); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); NISRA (Northern Ireland); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland); SA Attorney-General's Department, Births, Deaths and Marriages (data.sa.gov.au) (South Australia); Registry of BDM Victoria (DataVic) (Victoria); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Statistics Norway (SSB) (Norway); Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, rejestr PESEL (dane.gov.pl) (Poland); Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) (Sweden); Idescat (Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya) (Catalonia); Bundesstadt Bonn, Standesamt (opendata.bonn.de) (Bonn); Nova Scotia Vital Statistics (data.novascotia.ca) (Nova Scotia); Stadt Leipzig, Standesamt (opendata.leipzig.de) (Leipzig); Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (opendata-hro.de) (Rostock). How we count, and every source
About the name
From Ancient Greek Σοφία, 'wisdom', Sophia came into wide use through Latin, especially as a name for holy or divine wisdom. The early martyr St Sophia and many women of European royalty and nobility helped spread it.
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It has three syllables, soh-FEE-uh, with a graceful, even rhythm. Sophie is its long-established pet form, and Sofia, Sofie, Zofia and Sonja are relatives in other languages.
Sophia is a top-three name in Ontario and British Columbia and ranks high in New South Wales and Austria. The Ontario and British Columbia records show it at its peak in 2011, and today it is rising in some countries and easing in others in about equal measure, a sign of a name that has settled into steady use.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- soh-FEE-uh, 3 syllables
- Meaning
wisdom
- Origin
- Greek
Etymology
Chiefly from Latin Sophia, from Ancient Greek Σοφία (Sophía), from σοφία (sophía, “wisdom”), especially in reference to holy or divine wisdom under the influence of Biblical Hebrew חוכמה (khokhmá), to the early martyr St. Sophia, and to many figures of European royalty and nobility.
From the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 4 of 28 regions, falling in 4.
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Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 11 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Scotland | 16 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 6 | 9 |
| Northern Ireland | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 8 | 15 |
| Ireland | 22 | 18 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 21 | 13 | 19 | 14 |
| Ontario | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | |
| British Columbia | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Nova Scotia | 8 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 12 | |
| New South Wales | 13 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| Victoria | 33 | 32 | 24 | 32 | 31 | 24 | 41 | 23 | 22 | |
| Queensland | 24 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 12 |
| South Australia | 24 | 36 | 26 | 21 | 19 | 28 | 20 | 28 | 24 | 18 |
| New Zealand | 22 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 28 | 25 | 31 | 28 | 18 | 11 |
| Quebec | 32 | 27 | 32 | 30 | 35 | 34 | 38 | 33 | 36 | 25 |
| France | 131 | 128 | 138 | 126 | 127 | 125 | 125 | 120 | 104 | 88 |
| The Netherlands | 42 | 54 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 45 | 31 | 42 | |
| Austria | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Switzerland | 16 | 17 | 14 | 22 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Berlin | 9 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
| Munich | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
| Cologne | 9 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 7 | ||
| Bonn | 5 | 8 | 25 | 21 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
| Leipzig | 11 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 33 | 31 | 13 | 30 | 22 |
| Rostock | 11 | 25 | 43 | 16 | 37 | 37 | 50 | 35 | 49 | 36 |
| Norway | 77 | 87 | 86 | 92 | 77 | 81 | 101 | 77 | 96 | 88 |
| Sweden | 182 | 294 | 182 | 194 | 221 | 203 | 240 | 234 | 184 | 199 |
| Catalonia | 288 | 272 | 229 | 201 | 196 | 204 | 320 | 202 | 188 | 311 |
| Italy | 54 | 61 | 75 | 70 | 77 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 73 | |
| Poland | 142 | 165 | 177 | 160 | 201 | 183 | 179 | 221 | 153 | 141 |
| Slovenia | 221 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | 1,547 | 610.8 |
| 2024 | 13 | 1,610 | 624.1 |
| 2023 | 12 | 1,679 | 654.4 |
| 2022 | 14 | 1,813 | 688.0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 2,019 | 736.7 |
| 2020 | 10 | 2,028 | 755.6 |
| 2019 | 7 | 2,332 | 832.7 |
| 2018 | 8 | 2,344 | 813.1 |
| 2017 | 11 | 2,398 | 801.8 |
| 2016 | 11 | 2,636 | 858.2 |
| 2015 | 12 | 2,744 | 891.1 |
| 2014 | 12 | 2,752 | 897.4 |
| 2013 | 15 | 2,764 | 896.1 |
| 2012 | 15 | 2,855 | 886.5 |
| 2011 | 18 | 2,661 | 828.2 |
| 2010 | 27 | 2,031 | 632.6 |
| 2009 | 35 | 1,693 | 540.2 |
| 2008 | 39 | 1,510 | 478.2 |
| 2007 | 37 | 1,398 | 456.7 |
| 2006 | 49 | 1,137 | 380.0 |
| 2005 | 60 | 940 | 326.1 |
| 2004 | 63 | 879 | 307.5 |
| 2003 | 74 | 709 | 254.4 |
| 2002 | 86 | 622 | 232.6 |
| 2001 | 88 | 577 | 215.3 |
| 2000 | 89 | 591 | 216.3 |
| 1999 | 98 | 536 | 190.3 |
| 1998 | 87 | 596 | 206.1 |
| 1997 | 91 | 566 | 193.1 |
| 1996 | 95 | 516 | 174.3 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
Ontario and British Columbia since 1925
Half of the babies named Sophia in Ontario and British Columbia since 1925 were born in or after 2011. First recorded in 1925. Her peak year there: 2011, at 1,503.4 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Sophia per 100,000 girls born in Ontario and British Columbia, by five-year period. Her 2011 peak is averaged into its five-year period, so the line sits below it.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (1917-2024), OGL-Ontario; BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (1924-2023), OGL-BC.
Sister names for Sophia
1 in 132 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 190 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 127 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 109 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 216 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 70 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 108 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 1,025 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Sophia.
1 in 146 in Northern Ireland
1 in 154 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Sophia.
Middle names for Sophia
1 in 107 in Northern Ireland
Sophia Charlotte
3-2 beats · initials SC
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Sophia Grace
3-1 beats · initials SG
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 71 in Scotland
Sophia Olivia
3-4 beats · initials SO · Sophia slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 4 syllables. Sophia slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 132 in Northern Ireland
Sophia Ruby
3-2 beats · initials SR
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 214 in Northern Ireland
Sophia Rose
3-1 beats · initials SR
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 173 in Northern Ireland
Sophia Nora
3-2 beats · initials SN
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 95 in Northern Ireland
Sophia Anna
3-2 beats · initials SA · Sophia slides into Anna: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables. Sophia slides into Anna: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 154 in Ireland
Sophia Emma
3-2 beats · initials SE · Sophia slides into Emma: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Sophia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables. Sophia slides into Emma: vowel meets vowel.
Same style as Sophia
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 126 in Ireland
98% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 88 in Scotland
97% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 86 in Ireland
97% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 118 in Ireland
97% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 107 in Northern Ireland
97% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 70 in Ireland
97% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 557 in England and Wales
96% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
96% alike: moves with Sophia across countries and decades.
Famous people named Sophia
Sophia Bush, Sophia of Hanover, Sophia of Nassau, Sophia Lillis, Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Sophia Tolstaya, Sophia Myles and Sophia Magdalena of Denmark.
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American actress born 1982
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Princess of the Palatinate, Electress of Hanover, heir presumptive and ancestor of British monarchs following the Act of Settlement 1701 1630 to 1714
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Swedish queen (1836–1913)
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American actress (born 2002)
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Wife of George I of Great Britain (1666-1726)
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Russian writer (1844–1919)
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English actress (born 1980)
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Queen consort of Sweden (1746-1813)
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Sophia
5 questions, on how popular she is, what it means, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
Show all 5 questionsShow less
How popular is Sophia?
Her best rank is No. 3 in British Columbia in 2023, about 1 in 88 girls. She is in the published lists of 28 of our 40 regions.
What does Sophia mean?
Wiktionary glosses Sophia as "wisdom".
How do you pronounce Sophia?
soh-FEE-uh, with 3 syllables.
Is Sophia getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 4 of 28 regions, falling in 4.
Which sister names go with Sophia?
The deck's top five sisters for Sophia: Maya, Zoe, Chloe, Ella and Penelope. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.