Sophia Name Meaning, Origin, History, And Popularity

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In This Article

Origin, Meaning, And History Of Sophia

Originating from Greece, this soft and elegant feminine name, Sophia, means ‘wisdom.’ This name became prominent in Eastern countries after Saint Sophia of Rome was venerated as a Christian martyr. It became more popular as Christianity spread wide amongst countries in the West.

Its popularity gained momentum in Europe in the Middle Ages and early modern era. In Britain, this name got popular after Princess Sophia of the Palatinate married Elector Ernest Augustus and became the Electress of Hanover. She was also known as Sophia of Hanover.

The variant Sofia became popular in Germanic languages and the Finnish region, while the Icelandic and Welsh adopted the spelling Soffia. Hungarians had their version of Zsófia. South Slavic wrote the name Sofija while the East Slavic and Baltic languages took up the name Sofiya and Sofya, respectively.

From 1990 to 2010, the name saw a steady surge in popularity amongst Western countries. Its variants, such as Sofia, became a popular choice in Europe and North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and so on.

As per the Social Security Administration statistics, in 2006, Sophia made its entry in the top ten names in the US. The name stood at rank 1 for three consecutive years from 2011 to 2013 as the most popular baby name in the US. In 2021, the name Sophia stood at rank six as it continued to be one of the favorite baby girl names in the US.

The popularity of this name is reflected in popular namesakes such as actress and model Sofía Vergara, actress Sofia Coppola and model Sofia Kristina Hellqvist who is known as Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland, after her marriage to Prince Carl Philip.

Sophia

Meaning She who possesses great knowledge and wisdom

Gender Girl

Religion Christianity, Greek

Origin Greek

Lucky Number 5

Syllables Three

Length 1 word, 6 letters, 3 vowels, 3 consonants

Type Medium length and moderately easy to pronounce

How To Pronounce Sophia?

Pronounced as sop-hee-a

The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.

Listen to the sound of the name Sophia in English.

Famous People With The Name Sophia

Saint Sophia of RomeChristian Martyr
Sofía VergaraColombian and American Actress and Model
Sofia CoppolaAmerican Filmmaker and Actress
Sophia LorenAmerican Actress
Sophia BushAmerican Actress
Sophie TurnerAmerican Actress
Sofia CarsonAmerican Actress and Singer
Sofia VassilievaAmerican Actress
Sofia WylieAmerican Actress
Sophia AgranovichUkrainian-American pianist, recording artist and music educator
Sofia KeninAmerican Tennis Player

Sophia On The Popularity Chart

Sophia is a popular baby name among new parents. Take a look at the graphs shared here to understand why!

Popularity Over Time

The name had more than 1000 name bearers even in 1980. In the decades that followed, its appeal only increased. Here is a look at its popularity graph and why parents have chosen this name in the past.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

Sophia, has always been a hot favorite name and its rise in ranks clearly depict its popularity. It broke into top 100 baby names in 1997 and stood at rank 1 by 2011 as the most popular baby name. Have a look at how this name has been doing over the years.

Source: Social Security Administration

Sophia On MomJunction Popularity Chart

Know how popular the name Sophia is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.

Names With Similar Sound As Sophia

Sophia feels light on the lips. Its feminine grace and appeal is what makes it so popular amongst baby names. But the name is also too common and if you are looking for a unique but similar sounding name for your baby, then have a look at these options.

Popular Sibling Names For Sophia

If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Sophia, check our suggestions here.

Boy Sibling Names For Sophia

Find matching brother names for Sophia and create a wonderful team of siblings.

Girl Sibling Names For Sophia

Looking for some suitable sister names for Sophia? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.

Other Popular Names Beginning With S

Looking for more baby names starting with the letter S to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.

Names With Same Meaning As Sophia

Sophia reflects wisdom. If you want all your children to have different names but the same meaning then here are some interesting options to choose from.

Popular Songs On The Name Sophia

Song	Artist
ABC (feat. Sophia Black)	Polyphia
Sophia	Juke Ross
Sophia	Laura Marling
Sophia	(Hed) P.E.

Acrostic Poem On Sophia

Dive into the lyrical charm of the name Sophia with this acrostic poem. Witness how each letter paints together a story, capturing the name’s individuality, strength, vitality, and sophistication. Inspiring, is it? Why not try a similar poem that describes what you think of your baby’s personality?

Sunny and cheerful, making the atmosphere delightful.

Optimism filled eyes, deep as the ocean.

Purity in heart and passion in every act.

Humorous soul that brings a smile to all.

In the quiet of the night, you are a burst of starlight.

Ambitious achiever aiming for lofty aspirations.

Sophia’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name sophia. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.

Zodiac Sign (Rashi)

As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.

Rashi (zodiac sign)	Kumbha (Aquarius)
Starting letters for Kumbha (Aquarius) rashi	G, S, SH
Representation	Water-bearer
Element	Air
Ruling body	Saturn
Quality	Fixed

Birth Star (Nakshatra)

Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.

The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Kumbha (Aquarius) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.

Nakshatra	Degrees Of The Nakshatra	Nakshatra Lord (Ruler)	Name Syllables
Dhanishta (Avittam)	Aquarius (0 to 6.40 degrees)	Mars	Ga, Gi, Gu, Ge, Gee
Satabhisha (Shatabhisham, Chathayam)	Aquarius (6.40 to 20 degrees)	Rahu	Go, Sa, Saa, Si, Su, Soo, See, Gau
Poorvabhadrapada (Purvabhadra, Pururuttathy)	Aquarius (20 to 30 degrees)	Jupiter	Se, So, Dha, Dhi, Di, Da, Daa, Dee

Infographic: Know The Name Sophia‘s Personality As Per Numerology

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Sophia In Different Languages

It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Sophia in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Sophia, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!

Name	Language	Code
Sophia	English	en
索菲亚	Chinese	zh-CN
सोफिया	Hindi	hi
Sophia	Spanish	es
Sophia	French	fr
صوفيا	Arabic	ar
সোফিয়া	Bengali	bn
Sophia	Portuguese	pt
София	Russian	ru
صوفیہ	Urdu	ur
Sophia	Indonesian	id
Sophia	German	de
ソフィア	Japanese	ja
सोफिया	Marathi	mr
సోఫియా	Telugu	te
Sophia	Turkish	tr
சோபியா	Tamil	ta
Sophia	Vietnamese	vi
Sophia	Tagalog	tl
소피아	Korean	ko
Sophia	Hausa	ha
Sophia	Swahili	sw
Sophia	Javanese	jv
Sophia	Italian	it
ਸੋਫੀਆ	Punjabi	pa
સોફિયા	Gujarati	gu
โซเฟีย	Thai	th
ಸೋಫಿಯಾ	Kannada	kn
ሶፊያ	Amharic	am
सोफिया	Bhojpuri	bho
Sophia	Yoruba	yo

How To Communicate The Name Sophia In Sign Languages

In Nautical Flags

sophia

In Sign Language

sophia

In Braille Alphabet

sophia

In Morse Code

sophia

Name Numerology For Sophia

Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Sophia, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.

Baby Name Lists Containing Sophia

Read through our baby name lists that include the name Sophia and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?

Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Sophia

Discover the presence of Sophia in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.

Movie title	Other titles	Release year
#RACEGIRL - The Comeback of Sophia Flörsch	#RACEGIRL - Das Comeback der Sophia Flörsch	2023
Sophia, der Tod und ich	Sophia, Death and I, Sophia, der Tod und ich	2023
Sophia	Sofia	2022
Sophia!		2022
Het geheim van Sophia		2019
Sophia, na Primeira Pessoa	Sophia, na Primeira Pessoa	2019
Sophia Antipolis	Σοφία Αντίπολις, 索非亚园区, 蔚藍海岸某個地方	2018
Amy and Sophia	Indifferent	2017

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the meaning of the name Sophia?

The name Sophia means ‘wisdom.’

2. What is the origin of the name Sophia?

Sophia has a Greek origin.

3. How to pronounce the name Sophia?

Sophia is pronounced as sop-hee-a.

4. What is the biblical meaning of the name Sophia?

The Bible describes a female image of God called “Sophia” in the wisdom literature of ancient Israel. This is found in Proverbs, Sirach, and the Wisdom of Solomon. The Book of Wisdom, believed to be written by an unknown author and attributed to King Solomon, contains beautiful descriptions of Sophia. She is described as a powerful and radiant presence, a reflection of God’s glory and goodness. Sophia is accessible to those who seek her and yet holds a sense of mystery (1).

5. Is Sophia more popular than Sophie?

Sophia is ranked five on popularity charts according to data from the SSA. Sophia has 12,310 babies carrying the name. Sophie, on the other hand, is placed at rank 63 with 3,512 babies with the name. This analysis shows that Sophia is a more popular name than Sophie (2).

6. Is Sophia a classy name?

Yes, Sophia can be considered a classy name. Taking on the meaning of ‘wisdom,’ the name has been adopted by several cultures around the world who have come up with their wn variations. The name continues to top the charts, and according to the 2022 SSA reports, the name is placed 5th on the popularity chart (2).

References:

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Sophia: Wisdom of God.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/sophia-wisdom-of-god-2017-11-07/
Popularity of name Sophia and Sophie.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

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