Sonia
How to say it: SOHN-yuh · /ˈsoʊnjə/
Slavic diminutive of Sofia/Sophia; from Greek 'sophia' meaning wisdom.
Sonia was the 801st most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 171 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1970s, its births are down about 38% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #894 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #801 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 171 |
| Share of births | 1 in 10,764 |
| Peak decade | 1970s |
| Change over 10 years | −38% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #894 |
| In France, 2025 | #756 among girls’ names, 35 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After its height in the 1970s, Sonia has grown rarer. Now far below that high point, a continued gentle decline is expected.
What goes with it
With soft and breathy sounds in two syllables, it carries an ease that travels well. Nadia aligns nicely with it.
Nicknames
- Sonnie
- Soni
Honouring a Sonia in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Sonia is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #756 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Sonia
- Sonia Gandhi (born 1946)Indian politician
- Sonia Sotomayor (born 1954)US Supreme Court justice since 2009
- Sonia Delaunay (1885–1979)French painter
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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