The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Sophia!

Comments and insights on the name Sophia: | Edit

Update: has climbed to #21 in New Zealand in 2008

Pretty much all the Sophias that I know go by Sophia or Sophie and when you ask which one they prefer, they say that it doesn't matter.

The name Sophia is #4 on the list of top 100 cool baby girl names in the baby name book "Cool Names" by Pamela Redmond Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz.

I have also heard it pronounced so-fiy-a. I think it was commonly said that way in the Victorian era. Brief tangent, there's a song called "Sophia" by Nerina Pallot, where it's said like that.

My best friend's name is Sophia and I abosoulutely love her name. She's the only Sophia I've ever met and it's such a gorgeous name. We call her Soso.

Beautiful name, much prettier and classier than Sophie. It's a shame it's so popular, but understandable.

Personal experiences with the name Sophia: | Edit

My 4 yr old loves her name and also loves to be called by her grandma's name for her "Sophie Ray". My mother didn't care for our choice because it sounded old to her because it is her mom's middle name. It fits my daughter well though because she is an "old soul" and a wise girl.

I have a 4 year old daughter named Sophia. I HATE the name Sophie. It is so annoying that when you say Sophia people automatically hear Sophie. My daughter will correct them and say " My name is Sophia, not Sophie please". Sophie is a poodle's name. Sophia is a beautiful name! As you can see, I am one of those pretentious parents who refuse to allow their children to have nicknames, and teach them how to prance around with their noses in the air. Chickens are also found in Siberia.

I diasagree with the previous person saying it is a poodle name. I've never known any dog named Sophie in all my yrs of dog showing. I did once meet a dog named Sophia though.

I know at least 4 people called Sophia or Sofia, and 1 called Saffiah (pronounced SAF-ee-a). One girl I know called Sophia has the middle name Isabella, which I always thought sounded really pretty with Sophia until they both became so popular. A Sofia I know has the middle name Rae, which is also quite sweet.

Nicknames for Sophia: | Edit

Phia, Fia, Fifi, Sonya, Soph, Sophie,

Meanings and history of the name Sophia: | Edit

The name means "Wisdom" in Greek. It was the name of a probably mythical Saint, Saint Sophia, who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase "Hagia Sophia" meaning "Holy Wisdom", which was the name of a large basilica in Constantinople (Istanbul), which is now a museum.

Prior to the 19th century, Sophia was commonly pronounced So-FY-a in English speaking countries.

Famous real-life people named Sophia: | Edit

Sophia Loren, Italian actress/sex symbol
Sofia Coppolla, American director
Sophia Hayden Bennett, the first American woman to receive an architecture degree.
Sophia Bush, American model and actress
Sophia Smith, founder of Smith College in Northampton, MA
Baby girl on the reality show "Teen Mom"

Sophia in song, story & screen: | Edit

Sophia - The Cruxshadows
Sophia - Nerina Pallot
Sophia - Good Shoes
Sweet Sophia - Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers
Jewels for Sophia - Robyn Hitchcock
Sophia - The Rasmus
All For You, Sophia - Franz Ferdinand
Sophie's Choice -1982 American drama film that tells the story of a Polish immigrant, Sophie (Meryl Streep)
Sophia, assertive character in novel and film "The Color Purple", played in the movie by Oprah Winfrey
Sophia Petrillo, character on "The Golden Girls" played by Estelle Getty