Layla vs Sofia
Layla 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, Layla was ranked #56 and Sofia #12 among girls in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Layla was ranked #35 and Sofia #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Layla was ranked #41 and Sofia #22 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Layla was ranked #60 and Sofia #23 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Layla was ranked #50 and Sofia #61 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Layla was ranked #91 and Sofia #70 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Layla and Sofia over time
Layla and Sofia appear together in 5 published lists, across 113 years of shared records. Sofia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Layla in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Layla reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sofia in 2. 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 2013, Sofia moved ahead of Layla in England and Wales · Girls — #29 and #43 the year before became #31 and #30.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Layla and Sofia changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #56 and #12.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Layla and Sofia averaged 21.3 places apart, ending at #56 and #12.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Layla held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sofia in 22.
Highest recorded here: Layla #29 in 2012, Sofia #12 in 2024.
The order changed in 2013: Sofia moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #29 and #43; by 2013 that had become #31 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Layla #56, Sofia #12.
Republic of Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2025
Layla held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sofia in 22.
Highest recorded here: Layla #44 in 2016, Sofia #23 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Layla #60, Sofia #23.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 2004–2025
Layla held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sofia in 10.
Highest recorded here: Layla #24 in 2020, Sofia #13 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Layla #35, Sofia #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 2004–2024
Layla held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sofia in 17.
Highest recorded here: Layla #62 in 2019, Sofia #36 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Layla #91, Sofia #70.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023
Layla held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sofia in 4.
Highest recorded here: Layla #29 in 2022, Sofia #47 in 2011.
The order changed in 2015: Layla moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #66 and #51; by 2015 that had become #51 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Layla #50, 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 | Layla | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Means 'night' in Arabic. | A form of Sophia used across many languages, from the Greek word for 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | Arabic | Greek, via Sophia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈleɪlə/ | /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 #35 (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
- Layla is recorded with a Arabic origin, while Sofia is recorded with a Greek, via Sophia origin.
- Layla and Sofia both have 2 syllables.
- Layla'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
Layla
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #529 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2004–2025
Highest recorded position: #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2020 (recorded 2004–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #35 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