Entry № 5533 · Russian origin

Sonya Sonya — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ SOHN-yah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Russian
Meaning
"Wisdom"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Medieval (Russian)

A name that means "wisdom".

Sonya (Соня) is the Russian diminutive of Sofia — from the Greek sophia, meaning "wisdom." Sonya Tolstaya (1844-1919) was Leo Tolstoy's wife and editor; Sonya in Crime and Punishment is a central figure.

Sonya peaked at #487 in the U.S. in 2001. The British actress Sonya Cassidy is a contemporary bearer.

Wisdom. The Russian Sofia.

The name in its native script.

Соня
Transliteration
Sonya
Pronunciation
/ ˈsoʊn.jə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Sonya stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 487 in 2001
Babies named Sonya · last year
142 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1916
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №487 NOW · —

Sonyas before her.

Real people
Sonya Tolstaya
Wife of Leo Tolstoy.
1844 – 1919
In fiction
Sonya Marmeladov
Heroine of Crime and Punishment.
1866 novel

Names connected to Sonya.

The number behind Sonya.

7

The Seeker

Sonya reduces to seven — the number of Russian wisdom.

Why families chose this name.

"Russian Sofia. Five letters. Sonya."
Olga · Mother of one · St. Petersburg