ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1880

First Year

2026

Last Year

2012

Peak Year

#1

Peak Rank

450K

Total Count

147

Years Active

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## 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 ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia%5F%28given%5Fname%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia%5F%28given%5Fname%29)

### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

* English
* Greek
* German
* Dutch
* Ancient Greek

🏛️Origin & history

The given name is first recorded in the beginning of the 4th century.

[![Wikipedia thumbnail for Sophia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/14.25_Sophia_%28Wisdom%29_in_the_Celsus_Library_in_Ephesus.JPG/330px-14.25_Sophia_%28Wisdom%29_in_the_Celsus_Library_in_Ephesus.JPG)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia%5F%28given%5Fname%29)

📖

## The Story of Sophia

The earliest SSA record of Sophia as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 138 babies received it. 2012 was its biggest year on record, with 22,335 newborns named Sophia — #1 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 40% of all recorded Sophias. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6 among baby girl names 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

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

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## 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. 

* [Sofia](/sofia)
* Soof
* [Sophy](/sophy)

⭐

## 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 ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia%5F%28given%5Fname%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia%5F%28given%5Fname%29)

🌐

## Where is Sophia most common? 

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally. 

* 🇨🇳China63%
* 🏳️TW11%
* 🏳️GH10%
* 🇳🇬Nigeria10%
* 🏳️HK5%

Source: [Nationalize.io ](https://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. 

* [Sofia](/sofia)
* [Sofiya](/sofiya)
* [Safia](/safia)
* [Safiya](/safiya)
* [Zofia](/zofia)
* Sofa
* [Sophie](/sophie)
* [Sophy](/sophy)
* [Sofi](/sofi)
* [Sophi](/sophi)
* Sophies
* [Sofian](/sofian)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Sophia

What does the name Sophia mean?

Sophia, also spelled Sofia, is a feminine given name, from Greek Σοφία, Sophía 'Wisdom'. Other forms include Sophie, Sofiya, Sofija, Sophy, Sophea, and Sofie.

What is the origin of the name Sophia?

Sophia has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Greek, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek.

How popular is Sophia in 2026?

In 2026, Sophia ranks #6 among girls' names in the U.S., with 11,747 babies given the name that year.

When was Sophia most popular?

Sophia reached its peak popularity in 2012, ranking #1 that year with 22,335 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Sophia most popular?

Sophia has historically been most popular in Alaska, Arizona, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Sophia.

Is Sophia a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Sophia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Sophia?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sophia include Mary, Emma, Emily. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

What are nicknames or variants of Sophia?

Common variants and related forms of Sophia include Sofia, Soof, Sophy. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

## Similar Names

[👧MaryPeak #1](/mary)[👧EmmaPeak #1](/emma)[👧EmilyPeak #1](/emily)[👧IsabellaPeak #1](/isabella)[👧OliviaPeak #1](/olivia)[👧LindaPeak #1](/linda)[👧JessicaPeak #1](/jessica)[👧LisaPeak #1](/lisa)

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## 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 → ](/year/2012)
* [ Names of the 2010s → ](/decade/2010s)
* [ Names starting with "S" → ](/letter/s)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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. 

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