Mila vs Sophia
Mila 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Mila was ranked #21 and Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Mila was ranked #30 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Mila was ranked #150 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Mila was ranked #11 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Mila was ranked #46 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Mila was ranked #80 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Mila was ranked #102 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.
Mila and Sophia over time
Mila and Sophia appear together in 6 published lists, across 117 years of shared records. Sophia held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Mila in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sophia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Mila 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 2015, Mila moved ahead of Sophia in New Zealand · Girls — #16 and #9 the year before became #18 and #19.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mila and Sophia changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1987 and 2025, ending at #102 and #88.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Mila #58 in 2022, Sophia #13 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mila held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 29.
Highest recorded here: Mila #35 in 2023, Sophia #7 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mila #46, Sophia #13.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 2002–2025
Mila held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 23.
Highest recorded here: Mila #58 in 2022, Sophia #13 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mila #80, Sophia #14.
Norway · Girls22 shared years, 1987–2025
Mila held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sophia in 20.
Highest recorded here: Mila #82 in 2019, Sophia #59 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mila #102, Sophia #88.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 2011–2025
Mila held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 15.
Highest recorded here: Mila #18 in 2022, Sophia #6 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mila #21, Sophia #6.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 2010–2023
Mila held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sophia in 5.
Highest recorded here: Mila #4 in 2022, Sophia #9 in 2012.
The order changed in 2015: Mila moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #16 and #9; by 2015 that had become #18 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Mila #11, Sophia #29.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 2011–2024
Mila held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 14.
Highest recorded here: Mila #72 in 2018, Sophia #4 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mila #150, Sophia #8.
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 | Mila | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'gracious, dear', from the Slavic element milu. Originally used as a short form of longer names containing that element before becoming an independent given name. | Wisdom. |
| Origin | Slavic | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmi.ɫa/ | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #21 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Mila is recorded with a Slavic origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Mila and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
- Mila'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 Mila 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
Mila
Popularity journey
First recorded1981
First recorded at #653 among girls in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2010–2023
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 2022 (recorded 2010–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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 #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls