Sonya
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…
Every Sonya since 1905 — 65,954 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sonya
Sonya is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,939 in 2025 with 100 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1905, 65,954 American babies have been named Sonya. Its peak came in 1967, when 2,987 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sonya stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sonya year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 100 | #1,939 | — | — |
| 2024 | 104 | #1,924 | — | — |
| 2023 | 107 | #1,877 | — | — |
| 2022 | 114 | #1,805 | — | — |
| 2021 | 99 | #1,978 | — | — |
| 2020 | 110 | #1,805 | — | — |
| 2019 | 99 | #1,969 | — | — |
| 2018 | 123 | #1,691 | — | — |
| 2017 | 135 | #1,612 | — | — |
| 2016 | 137 | #1,612 | — | — |
| 2015 | 164 | #1,414 | — | — |
| 2014 | 161 | #1,421 | — | — |
| 2013 | 190 | #1,259 | — | — |
| 2012 | 195 | #1,247 | — | — |
| 2011 | 170 | #1,361 | — | — |
| 2010 | 194 | #1,243 | — | — |
| 2009 | 221 | #1,150 | — | — |
| 2008 | 201 | #1,256 | — | — |
| 2007 | 223 | #1,151 | — | — |
| 2006 | 255 | #1,012 | — | — |
| 2005 | 214 | #1,109 | — | — |
| 2004 | 222 | #1,047 | — | — |
| 2003 | 238 | #976 | — | — |
| 2002 | 248 | #907 | — | — |
| 2001 | 210 | #1,030 | — | — |
| 2000 | 247 | #892 | — | — |
| 1995 | 310 | #689 | — | — |
| 1990 | 470 | #513 | — | — |
| 1985 | 797 | #303 | — | — |
| 1980 | 1,206 | #215 | 5 | #7,161 |
| 1975 | 1,760 | #154 | 5 | #6,219 |
| 1970 | 2,740 | #131 | 15 | #2,496 |
| 1965 | 2,351 | #160 | 8 | #3,214 |
| 1960 | 1,274 | #245 | — | — |
| 1955 | 340 | #500 | — | — |
| 1950 | 206 | #587 | — | — |
| 1945 | 165 | #571 | — | — |
| 1940 | 197 | #489 | — | — |
| 1935 | 190 | #463 | — | — |
| 1930 | 72 | #845 | — | — |
| 1925 | 34 | #1,405 | — | — |
| 1920 | 27 | #1,622 | — | — |
| 1915 | 20 | #1,733 | — | — |
| 1910 | 7 | #2,116 | — | — |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,195 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sonya
- Sonya Walger Actor · b. 1974
- Sonya Smith Actor · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sonya mean?
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”).
How popular is the name Sonya in 2025?
Sonya ranked #1,939 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 100 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sonya?
65,954 babies have been named Sonya in the United States since 1905, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sonya most popular?
Sonya peaked in 1967, when 2,987 newborns received the name.
Is Sonya a boy or girl name?
Sonya is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sonya rising or falling?
Sonya is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sonya?
Well-known people named Sonya include Sonya Walger (actor), Sonya Smith (actor).