Sonja

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Sonja: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Sonja: Recorded every year since 1945, its highest recorded position is #35, reached in 2025.

3registrars recorded it
119times a registrar ranked it
81years from first to last
#35highest recorded position
28groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Sonja's record

Ranked every year since 1945, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Moved 212 places between two consecutive years — its largest recorded change. Names by largest single-year move

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2020

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#2096
1997	#3174
1998	#3142
1999	#1970
2000	#3912
2001	#2783
2003	#3594
2004	#4598
2005	#4798
2007	#5201
2008	#4524
2009	#3031
2010	#5707
2011	#3185
2012	#3681
2013	#3160
2014	#5691
2016	#3609
2018	#3985
2019	#4686
2020	#3899

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Norway in every year from 1945 to 2025.

In 2020: #55 among girls in Norway, #3899 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 3 national registrars across 3 regions, 1945–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #44 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: #35 among girls in Norway, in 2025 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #35 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls

Sonja appears in 3 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Girls, which has ranked it in 81 years beginning in 1945, and has registered 4,536 births with the name.

Sonja across 3 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Sonja's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Norway · Girls	#44 (1945)	#35 (2025)	#35 (2025)	81 of 81	4,536 (1945–2025)	169 (1968)
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#385 (1965)	#289 (1971)	#907 (2012)	17 of 48	72 (1965–2012)	9 (1971)
England and Wales · Girls	#2096 (1996)	#1970 (1999)	#3899 (2020)	21 of 25	101 (1996–2020)	8 (1999)

Sonja by decade in Norway · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Sonja in Norway · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1940s	498	5 of 10	100
1950s	883	10 of 10	88
1960s	754	10 of 10	75
1970s	630	10 of 10	63
1980s	214	10 of 10	21
1990s	148	10 of 10	15
2000s	136	10 of 10	14
2010s	545	10 of 10	55
2020sbusiest	728	6 of 10	121

Across Norway · Girls, the 2020s were its busiest decade — the 6 years of it this list covers, averaging 121 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1967 and 1968, when recorded births rose by 123, from 46 to 169.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Sonja appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 3 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #35 in Norway in 2025.

Sonja's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2020	England and Wales	female	#3899	5	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#4686	4	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#3985	5	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#3609	6	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#5691	3	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#3160	7	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#3681	6	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#3185	7	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#5707	3	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#3031	7	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#4524	4	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#5201	3	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#4798	3	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#4598	3	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#3594	4	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#2783	5	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#3912	3	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#1970	8	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#3142	4	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#3174	4	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#2096	7	High	Verified
2025	Norway	female	#35	162	High	Verified
2024	Norway	female	#53	119	High	Verified
2023	Norway	female	#48	128	High	Verified
2022	Norway	female	#56	113	High	Verified
2021	Norway	female	#56	104	High	Verified
2020	Norway	female	#55	102	High	Verified
2019	Norway	female	#61	98	High	Verified
2018	Norway	female	#59	107	High	Verified
2017	Norway	female	#70	91	High	Verified
2016	Norway	female	#104	62	High	Verified
2015	Norway	female	#150	42	High	Verified
2014	Norway	female	#151	41	High	Verified
2013	Norway	female	#178	33	High	Verified
2012	Norway	female	#183	32	High	Verified
2011	Norway	female	#251	22	High	Verified
2010	Norway	female	#294	17	High	Verified
2009	Norway	female	#281	19	High	Verified
2008	Norway	female	#349	13	High	Verified
2007	Norway	female	#303	16	High	Verified
2006	Norway	female	#461	8	High	Verified
2005	Norway	female	#379	11	High	Verified
2004	Norway	female	#226	23	High	Verified
2003	Norway	female	#438	8	High	Verified
2002	Norway	female	#339	12	High	Verified
2001	Norway	female	#361	11	High	Verified
2000	Norway	female	#295	15	High	Verified
1999	Norway	female	#317	13	High	Verified
1998	Norway	female	#297	14	High	Verified
1997	Norway	female	#292	14	High	Verified
1996	Norway	female	#318	13	High	Verified
1995	Norway	female	#344	12	High	Verified
1994	Norway	female	#346	12	High	Verified
1993	Norway	female	#346	13	High	Verified
1992	Norway	female	#248	21	High	Verified
1991	Norway	female	#265	20	High	Verified
1990	Norway	female	#320	16	High	Verified
1989	Norway	female	#310	16	High	Verified
1988	Norway	female	#260	21	High	Verified
1987	Norway	female	#244	22	High	Verified
1986	Norway	female	#241	21	High	Verified
1985	Norway	female	#222	22	High	Verified
1984	Norway	female	#293	16	High	Verified
1983	Norway	female	#255	19	High	Verified
1982	Norway	female	#204	26	High	Verified
1981	Norway	female	#213	24	High	Verified
1980	Norway	female	#200	27	High	Verified
1979	Norway	female	#199	26	High	Verified
1978	Norway	female	#192	28	High	Verified
1977	Norway	female	#185	29	High	Verified
1976	Norway	female	#140	45	High	Verified
1975	Norway	female	#133	49	High	Verified
1974	Norway	female	#103	68	High	Verified
1973	Norway	female	#112	61	High	Verified
1972	Norway	female	#92	84	High	Verified
1971	Norway	female	#70	116	High	Verified
1970	Norway	female	#64	124	High	Verified
1969	Norway	female	#69	134	High	Verified
1968	Norway	female	#50	169	High	Verified
1967	Norway	female	#121	46	High	Verified
1966	Norway	female	#116	48	High	Verified
1965	Norway	female	#97	68	High	Verified
1964	Norway	female	#107	55	High	Verified
1963	Norway	female	#96	63	High	Verified
1962	Norway	female	#120	44	High	Verified
1961	Norway	female	#93	63	High	Verified
1960	Norway	female	#91	64	High	Verified
1959	Norway	female	#81	78	High	Verified
1958	Norway	female	#87	67	High	Verified
1957	Norway	female	#78	79	High	Verified
1956	Norway	female	#66	106	High	Verified
1955	Norway	female	#76	78	High	Verified
1954	Norway	female	#74	84	High	Verified
1953	Norway	female	#76	86	High	Verified
1952	Norway	female	#71	95	High	Verified
1951	Norway	female	#64	102	High	Verified
1950	Norway	female	#61	108	High	Verified
1949	Norway	female	#67	91	High	Verified
1948	Norway	female	#79	81	High	Verified
1947	Norway	female	#70	96	High	Verified
1946	Norway	female	#69	97	High	Verified
1945	Norway	female	#44	133	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#907	3	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#448	4	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#417	5	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#503	3	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#488	3	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#516	3	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#529	3	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#523	3	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#523	3	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#321	8	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#428	4	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#449	4	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#389	5	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#289	9	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#357	4	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#315	5	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#385	3	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 3 registrars between 1945 and 2025, ranked in 81 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #35, first reached in 2025.

It held a top-100 place in 33 years, 17 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 169 births, registered in Norway in 1968.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1965, and 51 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Sondre · #10, 59y
Sonia · #50, 64y
Sonni · #1552, 23y
Sonnie · #415, 30y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 3 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Johan · #31, 81y
Thor · #39, 81y
Ragnar · #42, 81y
Iver · #26, 78y

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1940 and 1949.

Asbjørn · #35, 81y
Eivind · #35, 81y
Ruth · #35, 81y
Toril · #35, 52y

Sonja was ranked #35 in Norway · Girls in 2025. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Sonja and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Sonja without appearing here.

Sonja moved ahead of

Finlay Compare
In 2010 they stood at #5707 and #5707 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #3185 and #5785.
Finn Compare
In 2012 they stood at #5707 and #4688 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2013 that had become #3160 and #5742.
George Compare
In 2011 they stood at #5707 and #5707 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #3681 and #5876.
Lene Compare
In 2011 they stood at #5707 and #4688 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #3681 and #5876.

Moved ahead of Sonja

Ezra Compare
In 2013 they stood at #3160 and #5742 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2014 that had become #5691 and #1628.
Mila Compare
In 1999 they stood at #1970 and #2189 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2000 that had become #3912 and #1313.
Selma Compare
In 1999 they stood at #1970 and #2444 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2000 that had become #3912 and #1389.
Ada Compare
In 1999 they stood at #1970 and #2189 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2000 that had become #3912 and #1831.

Moved the opposite way to Sonja

Christina Compare
Between 1946 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Sonja went from #69 to #35 while Christina went from #307 to #497.
Tina Compare
Between 1958 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Sonja went from #87 to #35 while Tina went from #326 to #488.
Aisling Compare
Between 1965 and 2012 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sonja went from #385 to #907 while Aisling went from #121 to #42.
Alexandra Compare
Between 1965 and 2012 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sonja went from #385 to #907 while Alexandra went from #227 to #105.

Moved the same way as Sonja

Mia Compare
Between 1947 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Sonja went from #70 to #35 and Mia from #357 to #21.
Sara Compare
Between 1947 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Sonja went from #70 to #35 and Sara from #385 to #43.
Karoline Compare
Between 1949 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Sonja went from #67 to #35 and Karoline from #387 to #223.
Oda Compare
Between 1949 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Sonja went from #67 to #35 and Oda from #351 to #87.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 3 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #35 in Norway in 2025. Source data last verified 2026-07-25.

Sonja

Sonja at a glance

What stands out in Sonja's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Sonja across 3 official records

Sonja by decade in Norway · Girls

Sonja appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Names published alongside Sonja

Sonja and the names beside it

Sonja moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Sonja

Moved the opposite way to Sonja

Moved the same way as Sonja

Sonja at a glance

What stands out in Sonja's record

Sonja across 3 official records

Sonja by decade in Norway · Girls

Sonja appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Names published alongside Sonja

Sonja and the names beside it

Sonja moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Sonja

Moved the opposite way to Sonja

Moved the same way as Sonja