Namewise

Lisa vs Sophia

Lisa and Sophiacompared 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.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lisa was ranked #790 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Lisa was ranked #336 and Sophia #10 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #661 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #443 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1997, Lisa was ranked #85 and Sophia #64 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Lisa was ranked #174 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1997, Lisa was ranked #100 and Sophia #95 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

Lisa and Sophia over time

Lisa and Sophia appear together in 4 published lists, across 147 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Sophia in none. 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 2002, Sophia moved ahead of Lisa in Northern Ireland · Girls — #95 and #230 the year before became #188 and #155.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 60 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sophia rose about as far as Lisa fell — from #209 and #325 in 1965 to #443 and #14 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Lisa and Sophia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #661 and #13.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #105 and #95 in England and Wales · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #661 and #13.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Lisa held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Sophia in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #3 in 1984, Sophia #13 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2004: Sophia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #64 and #100; by 2004 that had become #91 and #71.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #443, Sophia #14.

  • Norway · Girls40 shared years, 1983–2025

    Lisa held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Sophia in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #40 in 1995, Sophia #59 in 2014.

    The order changed in 2012: Sophia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #71 and #74; by 2012 that had become #90 and #74.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #174, Sophia #88.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Lisa held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #105 in 1996, Sophia #7 in 2019.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lisa #661, Sophia #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2019

    Lisa held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sophia in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Lisa #63 in 1997, Sophia #4 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2002: Sophia moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #95 and #230; by 2002 that had become #188 and #155.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Lisa #336, Sophia #10.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Lisa

Pairs where Lisa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Sophia

Pairs where Sophia shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Lisa, Sophia
FieldLisaSophia
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.Wisdom.
OriginHebrew, short form of ElizabethGreek
Pronunciation/ˈliː.sə//soʊˈfiə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSophie, Sofia
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #174 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Lisa is recorded with a Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Lisa and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
  • Lisa's recorded meaning differs from Sophia's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Lisa a "medium" Data Confidence level and Sophia a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Sophia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #325 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls