Maria vs Sophia
Maria 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, Maria was ranked #120 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Maria was ranked #97 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #88 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #74 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Maria was ranked #78 and Sophia #22 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #62 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
Maria and Sophia over time
Maria and Sophia appear together in 5 published lists, across 173 years of shared records. Sophia held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maria 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.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sophia moved into the top 50 at #50 in 2009 as Maria fell out of it to #54, having been #49 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2006, Sophia moved ahead of Maria in Northern Ireland · Girls — #66 and #89 the year before became #79 and #59.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Maria and Sophia averaged 51.3 places apart, ending at #88 and #13.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Sophia rose about as far as Maria fell — from #61 and #204 in 1997 to #97 and #8 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Maria and Sophia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #88 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Maria #66 in 2018, Sophia #7 in 2019.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Sophia in 18.
Highest recorded here: Maria #24 in 1968, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order changed in 2009: Sophia moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #49 and #56; by 2009 that had become #54 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #74, Sophia #14.
Norway · Girls40 shared years, 1983–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Sophia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Maria #3 in 1991, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #62, Sophia #88.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 30.
Highest recorded here: Maria #66 in 2018, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #88, Sophia #13.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Maria held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sophia in 19.
Highest recorded here: Maria #49 in 2009, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2006: Sophia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #66 and #89; by 2006 that had become #79 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Maria #97, Sophia #8.
New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1995–2016
Maria held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Maria #73 in 2000, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Maria #78, Sophia #22.
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 | Maria | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ | /soʊˈfiə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Sophie, Sofia |
| 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 | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Maria and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
- Maria'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 Maria 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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sophia
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2011 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls