Sonam
Sonam is a given name commonly used in North Indian, Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese cultures. It is a Tibetan name meaning "merit". Separately, it is also a name in various Indo-Aryan languages.
Meaning & Origin of Sonam
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sonam is a given name commonly used in North Indian, Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese cultures. It is a Tibetan name meaning "merit". Separately, it is also a name in various Indo-Aryan languages.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Sonam
As a girl name
Sonam first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1986, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 32 Sonams were born — ranking #3,419 that year. As of 2026, Sonam ranks #7,585 for girls with 14 births, rising sharply (+19% over the past five years). In total, more than 508 Sonams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Sonam first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2000, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 12 Sonams were born — ranking #6,889 that year. As of 2026, Sonam ranks #12,301 for boys with 5 births, rising sharply (+38% over the past five years). In total, more than 118 Sonams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Sonam
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sonam 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 Sonam
What does the name Sonam mean?
How popular is Sonam in 2026?
When was Sonam most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sonam most popular?
Is Sonam a unisex name?
What names go well with Sonam?
About the name Sonam
Sonam is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 508 births in the dataset. Sonam's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #3,419. Use the chart and map above to compare Sonam's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1992 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.