A Russian name gently fading from the charts.
A female given name.
Sonja is a girl's and boy's baby name of Russian origin, the Russian and Scandinavian form of Sophia meaning 'wisdom.' Where Sophia feels formal and Greek, Sonja has an earthy, Eastern European warmth — the name of Russian literary heroines and resilient northern women.
With nearly 40,000 U.S. births recorded, Sonja has been a consistent choice for over a century, beloved for its elegance and the silent strength it conveys.
Sonja was #1519 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #2959, but its charm endures.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 305 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 956 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 1,187 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 1,696 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 3,240 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 7,963 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 10,960 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 4,619 | — |
| 1940s | 5,081 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 3,143 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 231 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 89 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 6 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 56 | #2959 |
| 2023 | 65 | #2697 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3820 |
| 2021 | 68 | #2579 |
| 2020 | 76 | #2337 |
| 2019 | 80 | #2284 |
| 2018 | 77 | #2382 |
| 2017 | 69 | #2567 |
| 2016 | 92 | #2124 |
| 2015 | 86 | #2206 |
| 2014 | 110 | #1850 |
| 2013 | 110 | #1846 |
| 2012 | 114 | #1800 |
| 2011 | 108 | #1869 |
| 2010 | 110 | #1858 |
| 2009 | 121 | #1790 |
| 2008 | 120 | #1814 |
| 2007 | 105 | #1969 |
| 2006 | 128 | #1662 |
| 2005 | 127 | #1607 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Sonja has also been given to 44 boys in the U.S. since 1938.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1906–2024) · Methodology