The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

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.

Personal experiences with the name Sophia: | Edit

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!!

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.

Famous real-life people named Sophia: | Edit

Sophia Loren, Italian actress/sex symbol
Sofia Coppolla, American director
Sophia Bush, American model and actress
Sophia Smith, founder of Smith College in Northampton, MA

Sophia in song, story & screen: | Edit

Sophia - The Cruxshadows
Jewels for Sophia - Robyn Hitchcock
Sophia - The Rasmus
All For You Sophia - Franz Ferdinand

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