Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Sondra
GirlGreek, Italian· “variant of Sandra, defender of men”
- Meaning
- variant of Sandra, defender of men
- Origin
- Greek, Italian
- Pronunciation
- SAHN-druh
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #13,013
- US babies 2025
- 7
- Best rank
- #199 (1940)
- Peak year
- 1942
Meaning and origin of Sondra
Sondra is a Greek and Italian name that is usually said to mean “variant of Sandra, defender of men”.
Sondra is a variant of Sandra, which began as the Italian short form of Alessandra, the feminine of Alexander. Alexander is Greek, from alexein, to defend, and aner, man, so the family carries the meaning defender of men. Sandra became popular in English in the twentieth century, and the o spelling reflects a common American way of saying it. Sondra is said SAHN-druh. The name has a mid-century character and shares its sound with Saundra and Sandra, which appear in the same records. Sandy, Sonnie and Sonny are nicknames that work well.
Popularity over time
Sondra first appears in US Social Security records in 1912. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 59 different years, starting in 1928. Its best national rank was #199 in 1940, and the most babies received it in 1942, when 897 were named Sondra. In 2025, 7 babies were named Sondra, and it ranked #13,013 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #4,900 in 1920, #366 in 1950, #749 in 1980, #4,388 in 2000, #14,759 in 2010, and #13,013 in 2025. Of the 27,074 US girls named Sondra since records began, 25% were born in the 1940s, its biggest decade. The 1960s come next, with 5,552 babies. Since 2010, 75 more have been named Sondra.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Roseann, Judie, Marylou, Edwina, and Faye.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Sondra is usually pronounced SAHN-druh, with two syllables. It has six letters, starts with S and ends in “-ra”.
Middle names for Sondra
A few middle names that flow with Sondra: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Sondra
Similar names
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Lists that include Sondra
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sondra mean?
Sondra is a Greek and Italian name that is usually said to mean “variant of Sandra, defender of men”.
What is the origin of the name Sondra?
Sondra has Greek and Italian roots. Sondra is a variant of Sandra, which began as the Italian short form of Alessandra, the feminine of Alexander.
Is Sondra a popular name?
Not especially. Sondra ranked #13,013 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Sondra a boy or girl name?
Sondra is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Sondra?
Sondra is usually pronounced SAHN-druh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings