You might not know that many yourself, but Sofia is the most popular girl’s name in the world. While it ranks just 29th in the UK (according to data from the Office of National Statistics),
Sofia and its varying spellings (Sophia, for example) are top choice in Mexico, Russia, Argentina, Italy, Switzerland, Estonia, Chile and Slovakia ‘It just blew me away that so many different languages and cultures would arrive at the same sound at the same time,’ Laura Wattenberg, founder of babynamewizard.com (who conducted the research), told Live Science.
Sofia means ‘wisdom’ in Greek and is thought to be so popular in various parts of the world because it’s easily pronounced in a number of languages.
It’s supposed to have been the name of a saint alive during Hadrian’s empire, and centuries later, the name was ascribed to the Hagia Sophia (or Holy Wisdom) – the large basilica in Constantinople. By the 18th century, it had become a popular name in the UK, with novels like The History of Tom Jones featuring heroines called Sophia.
Today, of course, there are a load of famous Sofias who probably have slightly more influence on parents than ancient saints. You’ve got Sofia Vergara, Sofia Coppola, Sofia Richie, Sophia Loren Meanwhile, Olivia is the UK’s favourite girl’s name.
