Sophia
Girl name · #5 in 2025 · Very well-known
How old is the name Sophia? In official American birth records, Sophia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Sophia is currently the #5 girl name in the United States — 12,561 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 143 girls born in 2025 was named Sophia.
The 145-year story
Sophia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 138 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 22,336 girls were named Sophia — good for #1 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Sophia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sophia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sophia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sophia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Sophia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sophia is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Sophia is most common in VT (23 per 1,000), DE (18 per 1,000), DC (18 per 1,000), HI (17 per 1,000), WY (16 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 9.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Sophia is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Sophia
Sophia carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Sophia family went to about 24,797 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #1, versus #5 for Sophia alone.
Names like Sophia
Statistically, parents drawn to Sophia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sofia, Mia, Amelia, Isabella, and Emma.
SofiaMiaAmeliaIsabellaEmmaAvaLilyCamila
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sophia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12,561 | #5 |
| 2024 | 12,126 | #6 |
| 2023 | 11,999 | #5 |
| 2022 | 12,382 | #5 |
| 2021 | 12,585 | #6 |
| 2020 | 13,105 | #4 |
| 2019 | 13,821 | #4 |
| 2018 | 14,013 | #5 |
| 2017 | 14,947 | #5 |
| 2016 | 16,185 | #4 |
| 2015 | 17,454 | #3 |
| 2014 | 18,644 | #3 |
| 2013 | 21,255 | #1 |
| 2012 | 22,336 | #1 |
| 2011 | 21,863 | #1 |
| 2010 | 20,656 | #2 |
| 2009 | 16,951 | #4 |
| 2008 | 16,091 | #7 |
| 2007 | 17,031 | #6 |
| 2006 | 13,503 | #9 |
| 2005 | 12,678 | #12 |
| 2004 | 10,919 | #15 |
| 2003 | 9,687 | #20 |
| 2002 | 8,665 | #27 |
| 2001 | 7,162 | #37 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sophia?
In official American birth records, the name Sophia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 138 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Sophia a popular girl name?
Sophia ranked #5 among girls in 2025 with 12,561 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #3.
When was the name Sophia most popular?
Sophia peaked in 2012, when 22,336 American girls received the name (ranked #1 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sophia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 143 newborn American girls was named Sophia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.