Sophia
What does the name Sophia mean?
The meaning of the name “Sophia” is: “Wisdom, Wise”.
Additional information: The girl name Sophia is derived from the Greek word for virtue Sophia, 'Σοφία' that means "wisdom", to be wise. In Ancient philosophical texts and other Ancient Greek religions the people who personified wisdom were called "Sophia figures", 'Σοφοί'. There is also an old Byzantine church, nowadays used as a museum in Istanbul, Turkey, called Hagia Sophia 'Αγία Σοφία', meaning "The Holy Wisdom".
The name was common among European royalty in the middle ages, and gained increasing popularity in the United Kingdom with the arrival of the German Hanover monarchy. The most common variants of the name are Sofia and Sophie, however many countries around the world have their own take on the name – a few of these are Sofiya (Bulgarian), Zsófia (Hungarian), Sonja (Norwegian), and Sofija (Lithuanian). Sophia is also an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Beathag. The name Sophia was the name of Saint Sophia the Martyr, whose three daughters Faith, Hope, and Charity were also martyred, and the name is used as the personification of wisdom in schools of thought such as Platonism. In the modern age of typing, Sophia is sometimes misspelled as ‘Sopia’.
Being a name associated with German monarchy, the name fell in popularity in Allied countries during World War Two, but has seen a recent rise in popularity, to the point where it was the most popular name in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in the USA. Because of this popularity, some people use alternative names that sound similar but are less popular, like Zofia, Seraphina, or Sonya. It is also an ‘olden’ sounding name, so names like Charlotte, Emma, and Victoria are similar.
Famous people named Sophia (or variants of) include Sophia Dorothea of Celle (wife of George I of Great Britain), Sofía Vergara (Colombian-American actress), and Sophia Lee (English novelist).
A legend pervasive on the internet states that a woman named Sophia Stewart took the Wachowski directors to court for millions of dollars after she claimed that they stole the idea for The Matrix from her short story The Third Eye. Her case was dismissed in 2005, yet various incorrect news stories from the time have led many to believe that Sophia Stewart actually won her case, even ten years later.
The name was common among European royalty in the middle ages, and gained increasing popularity in the United Kingdom with the arrival of the German Hanover monarchy. The most common variants of the name are Sofia and Sophie, however many countries around the world have their own take on the name – a few of these are Sofiya (Bulgarian), Zsófia (Hungarian), Sonja (Norwegian), and Sofija (Lithuanian). Sophia is also an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Beathag. The name Sophia was the name of Saint Sophia the Martyr, whose three daughters Faith, Hope, and Charity were also martyred, and the name is used as the personification of wisdom in schools of thought such as Platonism. In the modern age of typing, Sophia is sometimes misspelled as ‘Sopia’.
Being a name associated with German monarchy, the name fell in popularity in Allied countries during World War Two, but has seen a recent rise in popularity, to the point where it was the most popular name in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in the USA. Because of this popularity, some people use alternative names that sound similar but are less popular, like Zofia, Seraphina, or Sonya. It is also an ‘olden’ sounding name, so names like Charlotte, Emma, and Victoria are similar.
Famous people named Sophia (or variants of) include Sophia Dorothea of Celle (wife of George I of Great Britain), Sofía Vergara (Colombian-American actress), and Sophia Lee (English novelist).
A legend pervasive on the internet states that a woman named Sophia Stewart took the Wachowski directors to court for millions of dollars after she claimed that they stole the idea for The Matrix from her short story The Third Eye. Her case was dismissed in 2005, yet various incorrect news stories from the time have led many to believe that Sophia Stewart actually won her case, even ten years later.
Categories: American Names, Australian Names, Canadian Names, Classic Names, English Names, German Names, Greek Names, Italian Names, Movie Star Names, New Zealand Names, Popular Names, Saints Names
Used in: English speaking countries, German speaking countries, Greek speaking countries, Italian speaking countries
Gender: Girl Names
Origins: Greek
Starts with: S
