Girl · #2,762 in 2026

Sonora

Sonora, officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city of which is Hermosillo, located in the center of the state. Other large cities include Ciudad Obregón, Nogales, San Luis Río Colorado and Navojoa.

Current Rank
#2,762
Peak Rank
#2,733 (2023)
Total Babies
2K
5-Yr Trend
+17%
1924
First Year
2026
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#2733
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
66
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Sonora

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Sonora, officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city of which is Hermosillo, located in the center of the state. Other large cities include Ciudad Obregón, Nogales, San Luis Río Colorado and Navojoa.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Several theories exist as to the origin of the name "Sonora". One theory states that the name was derived from Nuestra Señora , the name given to the territory when Diego de Guzmán crossed the Yaqui River on October 7, the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary ( Nuestra Señora del Rosario ), the pronunciation possibly changing because the indigenous languages of the area did not have the ñ sound. Another theory is Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his companions, who had wrecked off the Florida coast and made their way across the continent, were forced to cross the arid state from north to south, c
Origin & history
Main article: History of Sonora

The Story of Sonora

Sonora first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1924, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 62 Sonoras were born — ranking #2,754 that year. As of 2026, Sonora ranks #2,762 for baby girls with 62 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Sonoras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Sonora

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Luis Aguilar
  • Plutarco Elías Calles
  • Natanael Cano
  • Jose Luis Castillo
  • Julio César Chávez
  • Jesús Manuel Corona
  • Valentín Elizalde
  • María Félix

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Sonora

Phonetically similar names — useful when Sonora 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 Sonora

What does the name Sonora mean?
Sonora, officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city of which is Hermosillo, located in the center of the state. Other large cities include Ciudad Obregón, Nogales, San Luis Río Colorado and Navojoa.
How popular is Sonora in 2026?
In 2026, Sonora ranks #2,762 among girls' names in the U.S., with 62 babies given the name that year.
When was Sonora most popular?
Sonora reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #2,733 that year with 62 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Sonora most popular?
Sonora has historically been most popular in Oregon, Arizona, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Sonora.
Is Sonora a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Sonora is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Sonora?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sonora include Andrianna, Marshay, Mercede. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Andrianna
Peak #2733
👧
Marshay
Peak #2733
👧
Mercede
Peak #2733
👧
Charnae
Peak #2733
👧
Shomari
Peak #2733
👧
Murrel
Peak #2732
👧
Margarit
Peak #2732
👧
Omelia
Peak #2732

About the name Sonora

Sonora is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1924 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Sonora's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #2,733. Use the chart and map above to compare Sonora's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.