Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Sonia
GirlRussian, Greek· “wisdom; pet form of Sophia”
- Meaning
- wisdom; pet form of Sophia
- Origin
- Russian, Greek
- Pronunciation
- SOHN-yuh
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #1,307
- US babies 2025
- 171
- Best rank
- #165 (1976)
- Peak year
- 1970
Meaning and origin of Sonia
Sonia is a Russian and Greek name that means “wisdom; pet form of Sophia”.
Sonia is a spelling of Sonya, the Russian pet form of Sofia, from the Greek sophia, wisdom. Russian literature gave it memorable heroines: Sonya Marmeladova, whose compassion redeems Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and Sonya Rostova in Tolstoy's War and Peace. The name spread to Western Europe and the Americas in the twentieth century. Sonia Sotomayor, Justice of the United States Supreme Court, is a notable bearer. Sonia is warm, graceful and international, easy to say in many languages. Sonja is a Scandinavian spelling.
Other spellings with the same sound: Sonja.
Popularity over time
Sonia first appears in US Social Security records in 1895. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 107 different years, starting in 1909. Its best national rank was #165 in 1976, and the most babies received it in 1970, when 1,767 were named Sonia. In 2025, 171 babies were named Sonia, and it ranked #1,307 nationally. That is 30% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #833 in 1920, #442 in 1950, #209 in 1980, #507 in 2000, #721 in 2010, and #1,307 in 2025. Of the 66,747 US girls named Sonia since records began, 23% were born in the 1970s, its biggest decade. The 1960s come next, with 12,945 babies. Since 2010, 4,025 more have been named Sonia.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Ginger, Trina, Dina, Leigh, and Dena.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Sonia ranked highest in Illinois, Colorado, and Washington.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | #789 | 12 |
| Colorado | #896 | 6 |
| Washington | #902 | 7 |
| California | #964 | 29 |
| Minnesota | #985 | 5 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Sonia is usually pronounced SOHN-yuh, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with S and ends in “-ia”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Sonja.
Middle names for Sonia
A few middle names that flow with Sonia: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Sonia
Similar names
Lara Girl
LAHR-uh
“short for Larisa; uncertain” · Russian
#693
Tania Girl
TAHN-yuh
“short form of Tatiana” · Russian
#2,050
Delia Girl
DEEL-yuh
“of Delos” · Greek
#1,561
Ilia Unisex
ih-LEE-uh
“my God is Yahweh” · Georgian
#4,217
Thalia Girl
THAY-lee-uh
“to flourish, to bloom” · Greek
#648
Sonya Girl
SOHN-yuh
“wisdom” · Russian
#1,939
Gaia Girl
GY-uh
“earth” · Greek
#1,392
Zofia Girl
ZOH-fee-uh
“Polish form of Sophia, wisdom” · Polish
#2,172
Ofelia Girl
oh-FAY-lee-uh
“Spanish form of Ophelia, help” · Spanish
#2,148
Cinthia Girl
SIN-thee-uh
“variant of Cynthia, from Mount Cynthus” · Spanish
#7,976
Portia Girl
PAWR-shuh
“from Roman family name Porcius” · Latin
#7,803
Lydia Girl
LIH-dee-uh
“woman from Lydia” · Greek
#92
Lists that include Sonia
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sonia mean?
Sonia is a Russian and Greek name that means “wisdom; pet form of Sophia”.
What is the origin of the name Sonia?
Sonia has Russian and Greek roots. Sonia is a spelling of Sonya, the Russian pet form of Sofia, from the Greek sophia, wisdom.
Is Sonia a popular name?
Not especially. Sonia ranked #1,307 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Sonia a boy or girl name?
Sonia is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Sonia?
Sonia is usually pronounced SOHN-yuh. 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