Sonya
Sonya: name meaning, origin and popularity
Meaning and origin of Sonya
- A female given name from Russian Соня (Sonja).
Etymology
Borrowed from Russian and Ukrainian Со́ня (Sónja), an informal pet form of Со́фья (Sófʹja), Софі́я (Sofíja) or Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sofia, Sophia”), from the Ancient Greek σοφία (sophía, “wisdom”). It was introduced into English through 19th century Russian literature and taken into general use in early twentieth century.
How popular is Sonya?
Since 1880, 65,772 girls and 182 boys in the U.S. have been named Sonya (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #114 in 1967. Its highest rank for boys was #2269 in 1971. In 2025, 100 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Sonya
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Russian girl names
Sibling name ideas for Sonya
Sister and brother names that share Sonya's Russian roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Sonya FAQ
What does the name Sonya mean?
A female given name from Russian Соня (Sonja). Borrowed from Russian and Ukrainian Со́ня (Sónja), an informal pet form of Со́фья (Sófʹja), Софі́я (Sofíja) or Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sofia, Sophia”), from the Ancient Greek σοφία (sophía, “wisdom”). It was introduced into English through 19th century Russian literature and taken into general use in early twentieth century.
What is the origin of the name Sonya?
Sonya is listed as a name of Russian origin.
How popular is the name Sonya?
Since 1880, 65,772 girls and 182 boys in the U.S. have been named Sonya (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #114 in 1967. Its highest rank for boys was #2269 in 1971. In 2025, 100 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Sonya a boy or girl name?
Sonya is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 65,772 girls and 182 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.