Sophia

Girls

Best rank #1 (2011) · ranked in 18 years

Ranked in 18 years, Sophia reached its best position of #1 in 2011.

It climbed from #21 in 2008 to #9 in 2025.

In the most recent data (2025) it ranks #9.

In 2011, 21,886 babies were given the name Sophia.

Sophia was most popular around 2011, making it characteristic of the 2010s generation.

Rank by year

11020200820172025
  1. 2025912,572
  2. 2024912,126
  3. 2023812,008
  4. 2022812,394
  5. 20211012,595
  6. 2020813,116
  7. 2019713,837
  8. 2018814,029
  9. 2017914,966
  10. 2016616,203
  11. 2015517,468
  12. 2014418,663
  13. 2013121,281
  14. 2012122,354
  15. 2011121,886
  16. 2010320,682
  17. 20091316,960
  18. 20082116,103

Similar names

Names similar to Sophia include Sebastian, Samuel, Sofia, which share a starting letter or overlapping popularity. Compare their rank trajectories below.

Origin & meaning

Sophia comes directly from the Greek word sophia, meaning "wisdom." It was used as a personal name by early Christians as a personification of the virtue and spread through Europe via saints and royalty who bore it.

Notable people named Sophia

  • Sophia Loren - Academy Award-winning Italian actress
  • Sophia Bush - American actress known for playing Brooke Davis on the television series One Tree Hill

Sophia has been one of the most popular girls' names in the United States for over a decade, repeatedly ranking at or near the top of Social Security Administration annual name lists.

Where Sophia is most popular

In 2025, Sophia was recorded in 51 of the 51 US jurisdictions the SSA reports on, with 12,561 births nationwide.

The largest share came from California at 1,685 births, 13.4% of the national total, where it ranked #8 that year.

By census region the name skews South, which accounts for 38.0% of Sophia births, against 18.0% Northeast, 19.4% Midwest, 24.7% West.

State rankings spread more than the national figure suggests: Sophia placed as high as #4 in Delaware and as low as #99 in North Dakota.

Top states, 2025

  1. 1California1,685 · #8 there
  2. 2Texas1,359 · #12 there
  3. 3Florida970 · #7 there
  4. 4New York721 · #7 there
  5. 5Pennsylvania507 · #6 there

Share by census region

  • Northeast18.0%
  • Midwest19.4%
  • South38.0%
  • West24.7%

Shares are of this name's national total, not of each state's births. SSA withholds any name under 5 occurrences per state and year. Browse all states

Frequently asked questions

Is Sophia a popular name?
Sophia reached a best rank of #1 in 2011 and has charted in 18 years.
Where does Sophia rank now?
In the most recent data (2025), Sophia ranks #9.
Is Sophia a boy or girl name?
It is recorded primarily as a girls' name.
When was Sophia most popular?
Sophia peaked around 2011.

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Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) - Popular Baby Names (national)