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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sonja

Sonja

♀ Girl

Pronounced ZAWN-ya /ˈzɔn.ja/Medium

Meaning: WisdomMedium

In 30 seconds: Sonja is a German girl's name meaning 'wisdom', a Scandinavian and German form linked to Sophia.
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Origin MediumGerman, Dutch, Swedish
MeaningWisdom
U.S. rank (2025)#3966 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births37 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1968
Total births (all-time)≈ 39,513

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196819062025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Sonja means 'wisdom' and is the German and Scandinavian spelling of a name that shares its roots with Sophia. The j gives it a distinctly Northern European look while keeping the soft 'Son-ya' sound.

It sits in the same family as Sophia, Sofia, Sofya and the short form Sofi, all carrying that 'wisdom' sense in different languages. The Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie, born in 1912, is among the well-known women who carried the name internationally.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Sonja is 'wisdom', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Sonja — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

SonjáSophiaSofiSofyaSofia

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Sonja Henie (1912–1969)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Sonja Kastl (1929–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Sonja…

Sophia— The fuller form of the same 'wisdom' name that Sonja derives from.
Sofia— A widely used spelling of the same root behind Sonja.
Sofie— a similarly popular pick
Sabine— another Dutch name
Senna— shares Sonja's Dutch roots

Explore names like Sonja

By themegermandutch
By meaningWisdom

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sonja mean?

Sonja is usually explained as meaning 'wisdom' and is most often linked with German tradition.

How do you pronounce Sonja?

It's commonly said ZAWN-ya /ˈzɔn.ja/.

Is Sonja a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Sonja is used as a girl name.

How popular is Sonja?

In 2024, Sonja ranked #2959 in the U.S. for girls, with 56 births recorded.

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