Laura vs Sofia
Laura 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, Laura was ranked #258 and Sofia #12 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Laura was ranked #141 and Sofia #13 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Laura was ranked #351 and Sofia #22 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Laura was ranked #112 and Sofia #23 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Laura was ranked #90 and Sofia #60 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Laura was ranked #253 and Sofia #70 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2008, Laura was ranked #71 and Sofia #88 among girls in New Zealand.
Laura and Sofia over time
Laura and Sofia appear together in 4 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Sofia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Laura in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Laura reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Sofia moved ahead of Laura in England and Wales · Girls — #94 and #96 the year before became #101 and #88.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Laura and Sofia changed places 12 times in Norway · Girls between 1969 and 2025, ending at #141 and #13.
- Longest-running competitions
Laura and Sofia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 57 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #141 and #13.
List by list
Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1969–2025
Laura held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Sofia in 32.
Highest recorded here: Laura #99 in 2024, Sofia #10 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #141, Sofia #13.
Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 1982–2025
Laura held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sofia in 12.
Highest recorded here: Laura #3 in 1991, Sofia #23 in 2025.
The order changed in 2014: Sofia moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #39 and #41; by 2014 that had become #49 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #112, Sofia #23.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Laura held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sofia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Laura #17 in 1996, Sofia #12 in 2024.
The order changed in 2006: Sofia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #94 and #96; by 2006 that had become #101 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Laura #258, Sofia #12.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2004–2024
Laura held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sofia in 13.
Highest recorded here: Laura #40 in 2004, Sofia #36 in 2014.
The order changed in 2012: Sofia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #89 and #93; by 2012 that had become #98 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Laura #253, Sofia #70.
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 | Laura | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. | A form of Sophia used across many languages, from the Greek word for 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Latin | Greek, via Sophia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Laura is recorded with a Latin origin, while Sofia is recorded with a Greek, via Sophia origin.
- Laura and Sofia both have 2 syllables.
- Laura'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, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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