UK girl's name
Sofya
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "wisdom" or "skill".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sofya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sofya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3015, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 8 births.
This profile covers 62 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 62 living people in the UK are called Sofya. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sofya ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 8 girls were registered as Sofya.
- • About 62 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sofya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3015
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2022
8 births
Estimated living
62
2026
Meaning
What does Sofya mean?
The name Sofya has its origins in the Greek language and culture, stemming from the Greek word "sophia," which means "wisdom." This name gained widespread popularity during the Byzantine era, particularly among Christians in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Sofya is the Russian form of the name, derived from the Greek word through the influence of the Orthodox Christian faith in the region. It was commonly used in the Slavic countries and became a popular name among Russian nobility and royalty.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Sofya can be found in the Hagia Sophia, the iconic Byzantine cathedral in present-day Istanbul, Turkey. This architectural marvel, constructed in the 6th century, was dedicated to the "Holy Wisdom" (Hagia Sophia in Greek), further solidifying the name's association with wisdom and reverence.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Sofya. One of the most prominent was Sofya Paleologue (1455-1503), the last Byzantine princess and the wife of Ivan III, the Grand Prince of Moscow. Her marriage played a significant role in the cultural and political ties between the Byzantine Empire and Russia.
Another notable figure was Sofya Alexeyevna (1657-1704), the regent of Russia from 1682 to 1689. She wielded considerable power during her regency and is remembered for her involvement in the Streltsy Uprising, a rebellion of the Russian military corps.
In the realm of literature, the name Sofya is associated with the character Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladova from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment" (1866). This character exemplified strength, resilience, and moral fortitude in the face of adversity.
Other notable individuals with the name Sofya include Sofya Kovalevskaya (1850-1891), a pioneering Russian mathematician and one of the first women to obtain a doctoral degree in mathematics; and Sofya Tolstaya (1844-1919), the wife of the renowned Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy and a memoirist in her own right.
The name Sofya has remained popular throughout the centuries, particularly in Eastern European countries with strong Orthodox Christian traditions. Its connection to wisdom and its historical significance have contributed to its enduring appeal.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sofya over time
The chart below shows babies named Sofya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sofya, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sofya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sofya was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3715 | 31 | 5 |
| 2010s | #5018 | 23 | 6 |
| 2000s | #4547 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Sofya
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Sofya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sofya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sofya was ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Sofya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 8 babies registered as Sofya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sofya?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "wisdom" or "skill".
How many people are called Sofya in the UK?
A total of 62 babies have been registered as Sofya across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.