Namewise

Sofia vs Sophia

Sofia 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, Sofia was ranked #13 and Sophia #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Sofia was ranked #22 and Sophia #6 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Sofia was ranked #70 and Sophia #8 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Sofia was ranked #12 and Sophia #13 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Sofia was ranked #13 and Sophia #88 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Sofia was ranked #23 and Sophia #14 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Sofia was ranked #61 and Sophia #29 among girls in New Zealand.

Sofia and Sophia over time

Sofia and Sophia appear together in 6 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. Sophia held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Sofia in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Sophia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Sofia and Sophia averaged 49.1 places apart, ending at #12 and #13.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Sofia and Sophia were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 40 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #13 and #88.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Sofia #13 in 2025, Sophia #6 in 2025.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls40 shared years, 19832025

    Sofia held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Sophia in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Sofia #10 in 2016, Sophia #59 in 2014.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sofia #13, Sophia #88.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls31 shared years, 19822025

    Sofia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Sofia #23 in 2025, Sophia #13 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sofia #23, Sophia #14.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Sofia held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sophia in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Sofia #12 in 2024, Sophia #7 in 2019.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Sofia #12, Sophia #13.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 20042025

    Sofia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Sofia #13 in 2025, Sophia #6 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sofia #13, Sophia #6.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 20042024

    Sofia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Sofia #36 in 2014, Sophia #4 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Sofia #70, Sophia #8.

  • New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 20082023

    Sofia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sophia in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Sofia #47 in 2011, Sophia #9 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Sofia #61, Sophia #29.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Sofia, Sophia
FieldSofiaSophia
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA form of Sophia used across many languages, from the Greek word for 'wisdom'.Wisdom.
OriginGreek, via SophiaGreek
Pronunciation/soˈfia//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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Girls #13 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Girls #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Sofia is recorded with a Greek, via Sophia origin, while Sophia is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Sofia and Sophia both have 2 syllables.
  • Sofia'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 Sofia 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

Sofia

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1968–2025

    Highest recorded position: #10 among girls in Norway, in 2016 (recorded 1968–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #13 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · 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 #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls