The first name Sonia
A girl’s name from Russian meaning “sophia”.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Russian origin
Sonia means “sophia” in Russian.
Borrowed from Russian Со́ня (Sónja), pet form of Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sophia”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 32 girls were named Sonia, making it the 1,051st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 125 births (#296).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Sonia with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Sonia at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 171 girls born in the United States were named Sonia, the 1,307th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 1,767 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Sonia
Famous people named Sonia
45 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Sonia DelaunayFrench painter (1885–1979)
- Sônia BragaBrazilian-American actress, born 1950
- Sonia RykielFrench fashion designer (1930-2016)
- Sônia GuajajaraBrazilian female environmentalist, indigenous rights activist, and politician, born 1974
- Sonia RollandFrench actress, born 1981
- Sonia BompastorFrench football manager (born 1980)
- SoniaBritish singer (born 1971)
- Sonia RobertsonField hockey player, born 1947
- Sonia AgarwalFilm actress and model, born 1982
- Sonia PetrovnaFrench actress, born 1952
- Sonia SanchezAmerican poet, playwright and activist, born 1934
- Sonia ManzanoAmerican television personality, born 1950
More Russian girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Sonia mean?
- Sonia means “sophia” in Russian.
- What is the origin of the name Sonia?
- Borrowed from Russian Со́ня (Sónja), pet form of Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sophia”).
- How popular is the name Sonia?
- In 2025, 32 girls born in England and Wales were named Sonia, ranking 1,051st. Its peak was 1996, with 125 births.
- What are nicknames for Sonia?
- Common nicknames for Sonia include Sonny.
- Is Sonia a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 67,026 US babies named Sonia since 1880 were girls.
- When was Sonia most popular?
- 1970 in the United States, when 1,767 babies were named Sonia, its highest rank at 186th.