Sophia
Sophia, also spelled Sofia, is a feminine given name, from Greek Σοφία, Sophía 'Wisdom'. Other forms include Sophie, Sofiya, Sofija, Sophy, Sophea, and Sofie.
- English
- Greek
- German
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Sophia
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sophia, also spelled Sofia, is a feminine given name, from Greek Σοφία, Sophía 'Wisdom'. Other forms include Sophie, Sofiya, Sofija, Sophy, Sophea, and Sofie.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Greek
- German
- Dutch
- Ancient Greek
Origin & history
The Story of Sophia
Sophia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 138 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 22,335 Sophias were born — ranking #1 that year. As of 2026, Sophia ranks #6 for baby girls with 11,747 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 450K Sophias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Sophia
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Sophia. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Sophia
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Saint Sophia of Milan , feast day 17 September
- Saint Sophia of Rome , martyr, feast day 15 May
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Where is Sophia most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- China63%
- TW11%
- GH10%
- Nigeria10%
- HK5%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Sophia
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sophia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sophia
What does the name Sophia mean?
What is the origin of the name Sophia?
How popular is Sophia in 2026?
When was Sophia most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sophia most popular?
Is Sophia a unisex name?
What names go well with Sophia?
What are nicknames or variants of Sophia?
About the name Sophia
Sophia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 450K births in the dataset. Sophia's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #1. Use the chart and map above to compare Sophia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.