The story behind Sonia
Borrowed from Russian Со́ня (Sónja), pet form of Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sophia”).
Other language forms and explanations (2)
French entry
From Russian Со́ня (Sónja), pet form of Софи́я (Sofíja, “Sophie”).
Italian entry
From Russian Со́ня (Sónja).
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): S OW1 N Y AA2
Regional pronunciation variants
- French: /sɔ.nja/
- Italian: /ˈsɔ.nja/
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Sonia ranked #1307 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Sonia
Sónia
Borrowed from Russian Соня (Sonja).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Sônia
Borrowed from Russian Со́ня (Sónja).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aelita
From Russian Аэли́та (Aelíta).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ania
a female given name from Russian Аня (Anja), equivalent to English Anya
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anniina
From Russian Аннина (Annina) or Italian Annina, popularized in Finland by the song Annina (1901) by Oskar Merikanto.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anuṣkā
Maybe ultimately from Russian Аннушка (Annuška) or Classical Persian اَنُوشَه (anūša), later reanalyzed as a Sanskrit-origin name with retroflex -ष्- (-ṣ-). See Anoushka for more.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Ā
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Sonia
Dmitri
Borrowed from Russian Дми́трий (Dmítrij), from Latin Demetrius, from Ancient Greek Δημήτριος (Dēmḗtrios).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends I
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Dzhokhar
From Russian Джохар (Džoxar), from Chechen Джовхӏар (Džovhar), from Arabic جَوْهَر (jawhar), from Classical Persian گوهر (gawhar).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
German
From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Sonia
Anātolī
Borrowed from Russian Анато́лий (Anatólij).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends Ī
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Andrei
Borrowed from Russian Андре́й (Andréj). Doublet of André.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends I
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Boris
Borrowed from Bulgarian Бори́с (Borís). Borrowed from Russian Бори́с (Borís). Borrowed from Russian Бори́с (Borís). Derived from Russian Бори́с (Borís).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length