Gender:

Female

Meaning:

wisdom (from Greek: sofia)

History & etymology:

Sophia and its French spelling variant, Sophie, stem from he Greek word sofia, meaning wisdom.

The name is often associated with philosophy, love of wisdom: from Greek philo- ‘loving’ and sophia ‘wisdom, knowledge’.

Saint Sophia appears frequently in the names of ancient churches in the East. Sophia was not always used in reference to a certain saint but to personification of wisdom. The most remarkable example is Hagia Sophia, a basilica and later a mosque constructed in the 6th century in Istanbul (historically Constantinople).

The name Sophia used to be very popular with European royalty.

One of the possible patron saint of the name is  St. Sophia of Rome, a martyr who lived in the 4th century, at the time of Diocletian’s persecutions of Christians. Her feast day is celebrated on 15th May, which is often considered the last day of winter in folk tradition of several countries in Europe. In most of Slavic countries and in Germany her day is known as ‘Cold Sophie’ or ‘Wet Sophie’.

Alternative  spellings & nicknames:

Sophea, Sopheea, Sopheia, Sopheiah, Sopheya, Sopheyah
Sofia, Sofie, Sofeea, Sofeeia, Sofeeiah, Soffia, Sofiah, Soffie, Soffy
Zoffea, Zoffee, Zoffey, Zoffia, Zoffiah, Zofie, Zofyah, Zophia, Zophie

Diminutive: Sophy

Similar names in other languages & name days:

Austria
15th May: Sophie

Czech Republic
15th May: Žofie

Finland
15th May: Sofia, Sohvi

France
25th May: Sophie

Germany
15th May: Sophie

Greece
17th September: Sophia

Italy
30th April, 30th September: Sofia

Poland
30th September: Sofia
15th May, 30th September: Zofia

Russia
1st October: Sofya

Sweden
15th May: Sofia

USA
15th May: Sofia, Sophia, Sophie

Famous people named Sophia/Sophie:

Sophia Abrahao (1991-) - Brazilian actress
Sophia Aliberti (1963-) - Greek actress and TV presenter
Sophia Baddeley (1745-1786) - English actress
Sophie Beaton (1996-) - Canadian model
Sophie Bolen (1999-) - American actress
Sophia Brahe (1556-1643) - Danish astronomer
Sophia Bush (1982-) - American actress
Sophia Bennett (1868 - 1953 )- American architect
Sophia Dussek (1775 - 1831) - Scottish composer
Sophie Ellis-Bextor (1979-) - English singer
Sophia Karp (1861 - 1904) - Romanian actress
Sophia Laskaridou (1876 - 1965) - Greek artist
Sophia Loren (1934-) - Italian actress
Sophie Monk (1979-) - English singer
Sophia Myles (1980-) - English actress
Sophie Nelisse (2000-) - Canadian actress
Sophie Powles (1988-) - English soap opera actress
Sophie Reynolds (1999-) - American actress
Sophie Simmons (1992-) - American singer
Sophie Simnet (1997-) - English actress
Sophie Turner (1996-) - English actress
Sophia Yan (1986-) - American pianist

Safiye Ayla (1907 - 1998) - Turkish singer
Zofia Nałkowska (1884 - 1954) - Polish writer

Sophia Alekseyevna (1657 - 1704) - Russian regent
Sophia of Gloucester (1773 - 1844) - British princess
Sophia Dorothea of Hanover (1687 - 1757) - Queen consort of Prussia
Sophia Ignatyeva (1850 - 1944) - Russian countess
Sophia of Nassau (1836 - 1913) - Queen consort of Sweden and Norway
Sophia of Prussia (1870 - 1932) - Queen consort of Greece
Sophia of the United Kingdom (1777 - 1848) - British princess

Fun facts:

Popularity (2015)

USA: 3rd     
England and Wales: 12th
Canada: 4th
Australia: 10th
New Zealand: 19th
Ireland: 21st
Northern Ireland: 12th
Scotland: 19th

Austria: 3rd
Belgium: 81st
Chile: 65th
France: 247th
Netherlands: 63rd
Norway: 68th
Switzerland: 12th

Descurainia sophia, or Sophienkraut in German, is a plant named after Saint Sophia of Rome.

Lucky colors:  yellow, orange
Lucky stone: Jade
Ruling planet: the Sun
Characteristics: gallant, gracious, honorable, methodical, well-organized, hard-working