Sonia
Borrowed from Russian Со́ня (Sónja), pet form of Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sophia”).
Every Sonia since 1895 — 67,026 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sonia
Sonia is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,307 in 2025 with 171 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1895, 67,026 American babies have been named Sonia. Its peak came in 1970, when 1,777 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sonia stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sonia year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 171 | #1,307 | — | — |
| 2024 | 169 | #1,356 | — | — |
| 2023 | 183 | #1,262 | — | — |
| 2022 | 211 | #1,156 | — | — |
| 2021 | 191 | #1,234 | — | — |
| 2020 | 214 | #1,127 | — | — |
| 2019 | 217 | #1,121 | — | — |
| 2018 | 240 | #1,064 | — | — |
| 2017 | 267 | #980 | — | — |
| 2016 | 264 | #1,003 | — | — |
| 2015 | 246 | #1,073 | — | — |
| 2014 | 283 | #950 | — | — |
| 2013 | 298 | #865 | — | — |
| 2012 | 328 | #822 | — | — |
| 2011 | 351 | #776 | — | — |
| 2010 | 392 | #721 | — | — |
| 2009 | 425 | #689 | — | — |
| 2008 | 423 | #709 | — | — |
| 2007 | 460 | #646 | — | — |
| 2006 | 481 | #609 | — | — |
| 2005 | 489 | #582 | — | — |
| 2004 | 516 | #552 | — | — |
| 2003 | 498 | #555 | — | — |
| 2002 | 520 | #530 | — | — |
| 2001 | 542 | #508 | — | — |
| 2000 | 532 | #507 | — | — |
| 1995 | 711 | #368 | — | — |
| 1990 | 868 | #314 | 11 | #4,945 |
| 1985 | 889 | #280 | 10 | #4,297 |
| 1980 | 1,252 | #209 | 9 | #4,454 |
| 1975 | 1,491 | #177 | 9 | #3,909 |
| 1970 | 1,767 | #186 | 10 | #3,250 |
| 1965 | 1,254 | #244 | — | — |
| 1960 | 951 | #303 | 7 | #3,619 |
| 1955 | 591 | #358 | — | — |
| 1950 | 333 | #442 | — | — |
| 1945 | 233 | #471 | — | — |
| 1940 | 299 | #388 | — | — |
| 1935 | 226 | #428 | — | — |
| 1930 | 166 | #527 | — | — |
| 1925 | 108 | #711 | — | — |
| 1920 | 76 | #833 | — | — |
| 1915 | 61 | #838 | — | — |
| 1910 | 20 | #993 | — | — |
| 1905 | 7 | #1,675 | — | — |
| 1900 | 8 | #1,546 | — | — |
| 1895 | 7 | #1,412 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sonia
- Sonia Delaunay Painter · 1885–1979
- Sonia Rykiel Writer · 1930–2016
- Sonia Gandhi Politician · b. 1946
- Sonia Sotomayor Judge · b. 1954
- Sonia O'Sullivan Athlete · b. 1969
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sonia mean?
Borrowed from Russian Со́ня (Sónja), pet form of Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sophia”).
How popular is the name Sonia in 2025?
Sonia ranked #1,307 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 171 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sonia?
67,026 babies have been named Sonia in the United States since 1895, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sonia most popular?
Sonia peaked in 1970, when 1,777 newborns received the name.
Is Sonia a boy or girl name?
Sonia is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sonia rising or falling?
Sonia is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sonia?
Well-known people named Sonia include Sonia Delaunay (painter), Sonia Rykiel (writer), Sonia Gandhi (politician).