Sophia vs Zara
Sophia and Zaracompared 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, Sophia was ranked #6 and Zara #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Sophia was ranked #6 and Zara #36 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Sophia was ranked #8 and Zara #64 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Sophia was ranked #13 and Zara #69 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Sophia was ranked #14 and Zara #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Sophia was ranked #29 and Zara #47 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Sophia was ranked #88 and Zara #490 among girls in Norway.
Sophia and Zara over time
Sophia and Zara appear together in 6 published lists, across 184 years of shared records. Sophia held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Zara in 0.
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.
Zara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sophia 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 2010, Sophia moved ahead of Zara in Northern Ireland · Girls — #39 and #37 the year before became #29 and #46.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Sophia and Zara changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1975 and 2025, ending at #14 and #66.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Sophia and Zara averaged 46.6 places apart, ending at #13 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Sophia and Zara were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 31 years, from 1987 to 2025, ending at #88 and #490.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Sophia #7 in 2019, Zara #66 in 2019.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1975–2025
Sophia held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Zara in 17.
Highest recorded here: Sophia #13 in 2023, Zara #43 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sophia #14, Zara #66.
Norway · Girls31 shared years, 1987–2025
Sophia held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Zara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Sophia #59 in 2014, Zara #260 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sophia #88, Zara #490.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Sophia held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Zara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Sophia #7 in 2019, Zara #66 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Sophia #13, Zara #69.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Sophia held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Zara in 13.
Highest recorded here: Sophia #4 in 2011, Zara #32 in 2007.
The order changed in 2010: Sophia moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #39 and #37; by 2010 that had become #29 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Sophia #8, Zara #64.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1999–2023
Sophia held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Zara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Sophia #9 in 2012, Zara #32 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Sophia #29, Zara #47.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 2001–2025
Sophia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Zara in 1.
Highest recorded here: Sophia #6 in 2025, Zara #23 in 2016.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sophia #6, Zara #47.
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 | Sophia | Zara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Wisdom. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /soʊˈfiə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Sophie, Sofia | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #6 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #47 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Sophia has a recorded origin (Greek); Zara does not have one recorded yet.
- Sophia and Zara both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sophia; Zara doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Sophia a "high" Data Confidence level and Zara a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Zara
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #559 among girls in Norway in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded2001–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2016 (recorded 2001–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls