Sophia is the Greek word for "wisdom" and was venerated in the Byzantine Empire through the great church Hagia Sophia, the Holy Wisdom. European royalty carried the name from the 17th century on, and the spelling Sofia is just as common in many countries. In the United States Sophia rose from number 42 in 2000 to number one in 2011 and 2012 and has stayed in the top 10 ever since, ranking fifth in 2025.