Fun Facts About the Name Sophia
- Gaining ground: Sophia remained in the U.S. top 100 for 29 consecutive years, from 1997 through 2025. In 2025, it gained 1 ranking positions compared with the previous year.
- More than 439 thousand babies named Sophia: U.S. records list 439,491 babies given the name Sophia from 1880 through 2025. Even 511 boys received the name Sophia - about 1 boy for every 859 girls.
What Does the Name Sophia Mean?
Sophia is a feminine name from the Greek noun σοφία (sophia), meaning "wisdom." It is related to σοφός (sophos), "wise" or "skilled." In ancient Greek, sophia could mean practical skill, good judgment, or deep understanding; in Jewish and Christian Greek writings it often means divine wisdom. The name is the noun itself, not a compound of smaller name elements. Christian tradition later gave the word a symbolic role - Hagia Sophia, "Holy Wisdom" - but that is a religious interpretation, not a separate etymology.
Sophia Name History & Origins
The word σοφία is ancient Greek, and the personal name Sophia belongs to the Greek-speaking eastern Mediterranean. Early Christian tradition tells of Saint Sophia and her daughters Pistis, Elpis, and Agape - Greek names meaning Faith, Hope, and Love (often rendered Charity). In the story, the mother's name represents Wisdom, and the account was widely repeated in Eastern Christian communities; its historical details and dates are traditional rather than securely documented.
In the Byzantine Empire, Hagia Sophia ("Holy Wisdom") was used as a dedication for churches, most famously the cathedral in Constantinople completed in the sixth century under Emperor Justinian. Women named Sophia appear in Byzantine imperial and aristocratic families, and the name moved into other Christian cultures through Greek, Latin, and local church usage.
In Western Europe, the name is recorded in the Middle Ages and early modern period; it was used in German-speaking lands and in England. It was borne by European royalty, including Sophia of Hanover (1630 - 1714), whose son became George I of Great Britain. The French form Sophie and the form Sofia, common in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and other languages, developed alongside it. In English literature, Sophia Western is a central character in Henry Fielding's Tom Jones (1749), a literary use rather than the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Sophia?
Sophia recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2012. Sophia entered the top 100 U.S. girl names in 1997.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5 | 12,561 | 0.7815% |
| 2024 | #6 | 12,088 | 0.7493% |
| 2023 | #5 | 11,984 | 0.7478% |
| 2022 | #5 | 12,375 | 0.7551% |
| 2021 | #6 | 12,578 | 0.7671% |
| 2020 | #5 | 13,095 | 0.8106% |
| 2019 | #4 | 13,813 | 0.8234% |
| 2018 | #5 | 14,004 | 0.8236% |
| 2017 | #5 | 14,936 | 0.8654% |
| 2016 | #4 | 16,182 | 0.9135% |
| 2015 | #3 | 17,451 | 0.9778% |
| 2014 | #3 | 18,642 | 1.0438% |
| 2013 | #1 | 21,253 | 1.2114% |
| 2012 | #1 | 22,335 | 1.2685% |
| 2011 | #1 | 21,861 | 1.2429% |
| 2010 | #2 | 20,655 | 1.1621% |
| 2009 | #4 | 16,951 | 0.9228% |
| 2008 | #7 | 16,090 | 0.8510% |
| 2007 | #6 | 17,031 | 0.8859% |
| 2006 | #9 | 13,503 | 0.7103% |
| 2005 | #12 | 12,678 | 0.6862% |
| 2004 | #15 | 10,919 | 0.5947% |
| 2003 | #20 | 9,686 | 0.5301% |
| 2002 | #27 | 8,665 | 0.4822% |
| 2001 | #37 | 7,162 | 0.3978% |
| 2000 | #42 | 6,564 | 0.3615% |
| 1999 | #53 | 5,423 | 0.3057% |
| 1998 | #73 | 4,308 | 0.2438% |
| 1997 | #94 | 3,640 | 0.2091% |
| 1996 | #125 | 2,513 | 0.1434% |
| 1995 | #168 | 1,765 | 0.1004% |
| 1994 | #185 | 1,613 | 0.0903% |
| 1993 | #196 | 1,498 | 0.0828% |
| 1992 | #211 | 1,355 | 0.0735% |
| 1991 | #226 | 1,263 | 0.0674% |
| 1990 | #251 | 1,124 | 0.0592% |
| 1989 | #254 | 1,059 | 0.0574% |
| 1988 | #226 | 1,165 | 0.0654% |
| 1987 | #238 | 1,124 | 0.0646% |
| 1986 | #245 | 1,059 | 0.0617% |
| 1985 | #236 | 1,098 | 0.0638% |
| 1984 | #235 | 1,082 | 0.0643% |
| 1983 | #210 | 1,196 | 0.0716% |
| 1982 | #224 | 1,161 | 0.0686% |
| 1981 | #211 | 1,235 | 0.0740% |
| 1980 | #366 | 641 | 0.0386% |
| 1979 | #424 | 493 | 0.0307% |
| 1978 | #477 | 409 | 0.0267% |
| 1977 | #457 | 432 | 0.0282% |
| 1976 | #496 | 366 | 0.0250% |
| 1975 | #487 | 380 | 0.0261% |
| 1974 | #470 | 385 | 0.0262% |
| 1973 | #429 | 455 | 0.0312% |
| 1972 | #407 | 486 | 0.0319% |
| 1971 | #385 | 591 | 0.0355% |
| 1970 | #403 | 580 | 0.0332% |
| 1969 | #385 | 593 | 0.0352% |
| 1968 | #392 | 548 | 0.0334% |
| 1967 | #367 | 603 | 0.0365% |
| 1966 | #376 | 589 | 0.0348% |
| 1965 | #416 | 509 | 0.0288% |
| 1964 | #452 | 471 | 0.0249% |
| 1963 | #426 | 524 | 0.0272% |
| 1962 | #438 | 486 | 0.0247% |
| 1961 | #547 | 324 | 0.0161% |
| 1960 | #622 | 262 | 0.0130% |
| 1959 | #595 | 277 | 0.0137% |
| 1958 | #661 | 226 | 0.0112% |
| 1957 | #730 | 188 | 0.0092% |
| 1956 | #922 | 121 | 0.0060% |
| 1955 | #782 | 152 | 0.0078% |
| 1954 | #909 | 113 | 0.0058% |
| 1953 | #815 | 129 | 0.0069% |
| 1952 | #883 | 110 | 0.0059% |
| 1951 | #709 | 153 | 0.0085% |
| 1950 | #849 | 109 | 0.0064% |
| 1949 | #781 | 123 | 0.0072% |
| 1948 | #831 | 112 | 0.0066% |
| 1947 | #847 | 108 | 0.0061% |
| 1946 | #800 | 107 | 0.0068% |
| 1945 | #736 | 103 | 0.0079% |
| 1944 | #752 | 104 | 0.0078% |
| 1943 | #761 | 104 | 0.0075% |
| 1942 | #858 | 81 | 0.0060% |
| 1941 | #680 | 107 | 0.0089% |
| 1940 | #680 | 105 | 0.0092% |
| 1939 | #687 | 99 | 0.0090% |
| 1938 | #735 | 88 | 0.0080% |
| 1937 | #669 | 104 | 0.0098% |
| 1936 | #671 | 98 | 0.0094% |
| 1935 | #658 | 101 | 0.0096% |
| 1934 | #650 | 107 | 0.0102% |
| 1933 | #649 | 103 | 0.0102% |
| 1932 | #571 | 132 | 0.0124% |
| 1931 | #574 | 133 | 0.0125% |
| 1930 | #554 | 152 | 0.0135% |
| 1929 | #527 | 169 | 0.0151% |
| 1928 | #495 | 195 | 0.0169% |
| 1927 | #448 | 240 | 0.0201% |
| 1926 | #442 | 234 | 0.0197% |
| 1925 | #403 | 289 | 0.0237% |
| 1924 | #365 | 357 | 0.0286% |
| 1923 | #342 | 369 | 0.0306% |
| 1922 | #331 | 390 | 0.0325% |
| 1921 | #299 | 489 | 0.0397% |
| 1920 | #279 | 545 | 0.0455% |
| 1919 | #261 | 604 | 0.0534% |
| 1918 | #256 | 629 | 0.0543% |
| 1917 | #235 | 698 | 0.0646% |
| 1916 | #232 | 697 | 0.0667% |
| 1915 | #227 | 692 | 0.0703% |
| 1914 | #229 | 548 | 0.0720% |
| 1913 | #232 | 429 | 0.0687% |
| 1912 | #225 | 397 | 0.0711% |
| 1911 | #238 | 272 | 0.0650% |
| 1910 | #237 | 271 | 0.0683% |
| 1909 | #222 | 256 | 0.0737% |
| 1908 | #203 | 276 | 0.0826% |
| 1907 | #198 | 265 | 0.0832% |
| 1906 | #194 | 247 | 0.0836% |
| 1905 | #198 | 237 | 0.0813% |
| 1904 | #197 | 230 | 0.0835% |
| 1903 | #199 | 213 | 0.0813% |
| 1902 | #180 | 256 | 0.0969% |
| 1901 | #187 | 221 | 0.0923% |
| 1900 | #197 | 259 | 0.0864% |
| 1899 | #180 | 238 | 0.1021% |
| 1898 | #189 | 240 | 0.0927% |
| 1897 | #164 | 278 | 0.1187% |
| 1896 | #160 | 278 | 0.1168% |
| 1895 | #164 | 259 | 0.1109% |
| 1894 | #156 | 276 | 0.1238% |
| 1893 | #159 | 247 | 0.1160% |
| 1892 | #162 | 241 | 0.1135% |
| 1891 | #153 | 220 | 0.1186% |
| 1890 | #144 | 245 | 0.1287% |
| 1889 | #139 | 251 | 0.1407% |
| 1888 | #136 | 251 | 0.1405% |
| 1887 | #137 | 192 | 0.1315% |
| 1886 | #128 | 218 | 0.1508% |
| 1885 | #134 | 185 | 0.1390% |
| 1884 | #135 | 170 | 0.1318% |
| 1883 | #129 | 159 | 0.1416% |
| 1882 | #116 | 179 | 0.1660% |
| 1881 | #131 | 122 | 0.1327% |
| 1880 | #118 | 138 | 0.1517% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,606 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #8,822 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #7,194 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #8,072 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #7,427 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #5,759 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2018 | #5,742 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2017 | #5,082 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #5,283 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #6,263 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #5,034 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #3,946 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2012 | #5,215 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #4,334 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2010 | #3,974 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2009 | #8,898 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #7,120 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #5,179 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2006 | #4,347 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #5,244 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #2,686 | 40 | 0.0020% |
| 2003 | #5,833 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #10,482 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #7,427 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #10,178 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #9,740 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #9,486 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #10,596 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #10,333 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #7,647 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #9,319 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #3,783 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #8,340 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #7,983 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #6,621 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #4,645 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #5,411 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #7,137 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #6,219 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #4,661 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #3,979 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1934 | #4,138 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #4,499 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
