Ivy vs Sofia
Ivy and Sofiacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #5 and Sofia #12 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #30 and Sofia #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #14 and Sofia #22 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ivy was ranked #22 and Sofia #61 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ivy was ranked #50 and Sofia #23 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ivy was ranked #35 and Sofia #70 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Ivy and Sofia over time
Ivy and Sofia appear together in 5 published lists, across 92 years of shared records. Sofia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ivy in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Ivy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Sofia in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Ivy moved into the top 50 at #41 in 2019 as Sofia fell out of it to #76, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2017, Ivy moved ahead of Sofia in England and Wales · Girls — #33 and #29 the year before became #25 and #31.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ivy and Sofia changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 2009 and 2025, ending at #30 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Ivy #22 in 2020, Sofia #49 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sofia in 21.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #5 in 2021, Sofia #12 in 2024.
The order changed in 2017: Ivy moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #33 and #29; by 2017 that had become #25 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #5, Sofia #12.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2002–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sofia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #49 in 2023, Sofia #23 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #50, Sofia #23.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 2009–2025
Ivy held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sofia in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #11 in 2020, Sofia #13 in 2025.
The order changed in 2023: Sofia moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #18 and #32; by 2023 that had become #22 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ivy #30, Sofia #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2009–2024
Ivy held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sofia in 8.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #26 in 2023, Sofia #36 in 2014.
The order changed in 2019: Ivy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #50 and #42; by 2019 that had become #41 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ivy #35, Sofia #70.
New Zealand · Girls13 shared years, 2010–2023
Ivy held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sofia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ivy #22 in 2020, Sofia #49 in 2022.
The order changed in 2012: Ivy moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #99 and #67; by 2012 that had become #54 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ivy #22, Sofia #61.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Ivy | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the English word for the ivy plant. | A form of Sophia used across many languages, from the Greek word for 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | English (plant name) | Greek, via Sophia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈaɪvi/ | /soˈfia/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #30 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ivy is recorded with a English (plant name) origin, while Sofia is recorded with a Greek, via Sophia origin.
- Ivy and Sofia both have 2 syllables.
- Ivy's recorded meaning differs from Sofia's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Ivy
Popularity journey
First recorded1972
First recorded at #471 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Sofia
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #518 among girls in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1968–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Norway, in 2016 (recorded 1968–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls