Sonja

#3,903 for girls in 2025, 37 births · Last seen for boys in 1973 at #3,445
Given to girls 99.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1938 · 1,117 births
Debut · girls
6 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
39,513
since 1906

Sonja over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Sonja has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201938peak #180, 1938girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#3,90337
2024#2,93056
2023#2,67465
2022#3,76540
2021#2,55868
2020#2,31776
2019#2,27280
2018#2,36177
2017#2,54669
2016#2,11792
2015#2,19486
2014#1,838110
2013#1,834110
2012#1,791114
2011#1,857108
2010#1,847110
2009#1,785121
2008#1,808120
2007#1,957105
2006#1,651128
2005#1,599127
2004#1,516133
2003#1,676114
2002#1,671110
2001#1,700106
2000#1,491123
1999#1,271146
1998#1,176159
1997#1,199151
1996#1,238141
1995#1,355121
1994#1,072169
1993#1,078169
1992#975196
1991#933206
1990#827237
1989#726272
1988#658294
1987#630303
1986#604318
1985#620303
1984#655266
1983#572314
1982#526372
1981#501401
1980#507397
1979#460438
1978#420481
1977#401518
1976#361583
1975#353615
1974#309754
1973#278884#3,4459
1972#2331,191
1971#2471,188#4,3756
1970#2381,310
1969#2291,314
1968#2221,339
1967#2201,335#2,9858
1966#2261,321#3,5376
1965#2551,125
1964#2781,051
1963#294995
1962#321857
1961#320867
1960#347758
1959#365678
1958#405524
1957#398531
1956#418471
1955#419445
1954#422426
1953#428413
1952#433389
1951#418397
1950#436345
1949#391412
1948#386424
1947#362496
1946#336484
1945#316455
1944#341405
1943#304525#3,5385
1942#278600
1941#267567
1940#238713
1939#203862#3,4805
1938#1801,117#3,5345
1937#262560
1936#477180
1935#70192
1934#71786
1933#92354
1932#81670
1931#97051
1930#84771
1929#1,22337
1928#1,46929
1927#1,66925
1926#1,66725
1925#2,11918
1924#1,99220
1923#1,78223
1922#1,89721
1921#1,86722
1920#2,89911
1919#3,2199
1918#2,10217
1917#2,10016
1916#2,13315
1915#2,52611
1914#1,89613
1913#2,3318
1912
1911
1910
1909
1908
1907
1906#1,7276
1905
1904
1903
1902
1901
1900
1899
1898
1897
1896
1895
1894
1893
1892
1891
1890
1889
1888
1887
1886
1885
1884
1883
1882
1881
1880
First appearance
1906

The first year at least five girls were named Sonja! It came in at #1,727, and was given to 6 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1907–1912, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.

Where Sonja is popular in 1938

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedAKMaine: #124 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 568 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedNHWashington: #98 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 421 girlsWAIdaho: #104 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 418 girlsIDMontana: #137 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 558 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #89 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 329 girlsNDMinnesota: #86 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 356 girlsMNIllinois: #139 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 812 girlsILWisconsin: #80 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 398 girlsWIMichigan: #135 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 783 girlsMINew York: #193 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 1,426 girlsNYMassachusetts: #205 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,340 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedRIOregon: #132 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 626 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #117 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 510 girlsSDIowa: #144 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 788 girlsIAIndiana: #102 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 555 girlsINOhio: #136 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 798 girlsOHPennsylvania: #168 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 1,110 girlsPANew Jersey: #208 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,647 girlsNJConnecticut: #148 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 986 girlsCTCalifornia: #135 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 610 girlsCAUtah: #85 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 342 girlsUTColorado: #123 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 494 girlsCONebraska: #142 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 821 girlsNEMissouri: #166 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 894 girlsMOKentucky: #214 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,227 girlsKYWest Virginia: #209 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,190 girlsWVVirginia: #261 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,986 girlsVAMaryland: #156 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 829 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedDEArizona: #185 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 670 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedNMKansas: #145 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 769 girlsKSArkansas: #312 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,079 girlsARTennessee: #199 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,130 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #221 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 1,369 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #320 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,562 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #146 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 714 girlsDCOklahoma: #244 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,355 girlsOKLouisiana: #259 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,307 girlsLAMississippi: #322 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,255 girlsMSAlabama: #317 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,444 girlsALGeorgia: #218 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 1,232 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedHITexas: #187 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 836 girlsTXFlorida: #209 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 969 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Wisconsin#80 · 1 in 398
  2. Utah#85 · 1 in 342
  3. Minnesota#86 · 1 in 356
  4. North Dakota#89 · 1 in 329
  5. Washington#98 · 1 in 421

Best ever in a state: #74 in Wyoming, 1969.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Wisconsin#80601 in 398
Utah#85141 in 342
Minnesota#86591 in 356
North Dakota#89161 in 329
Washington#98261 in 421
Indiana#102471 in 555
Idaho#104101 in 418
South Dakota#11791 in 510
Colorado#123181 in 494
Maine#124111 in 568
Oregon#132101 in 626
California#135731 in 610
Michigan#135541 in 783
Ohio#136641 in 798
Montana#13771 in 558
Illinois#139681 in 812
Nebraska#142111 in 821
Iowa#144241 in 788
Kansas#145161 in 769
District of Columbia#14671 in 714
Connecticut#148101 in 986
Maryland#156151 in 829
Missouri#166301 in 894
Pennsylvania#168671 in 1,110
Arizona#18571 in 670
Texas#187691 in 836
New York#193601 in 1,426
Tennessee#199241 in 1,130
Massachusetts#205121 in 2,340
New Jersey#208151 in 1,647
Florida#209141 in 969
West Virginia#209161 in 1,190
Kentucky#214231 in 1,227
Georgia#218251 in 1,232
North Carolina#221271 in 1,369
Oklahoma#244151 in 1,355
Louisiana#259171 in 1,307
Virginia#261121 in 1,986
Arkansas#31291 in 2,079
Alabama#317121 in 2,444
South Carolina#32081 in 2,562
Mississippi#322101 in 2,255
Alaska
Delaware
Hawaii
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Rhode Island
Vermont
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Sonja
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 973 spots since 2024 (#2,930#3,903)
  • 1,586 spots since 2020 (#2,317#3,903)
  • 1,709 spots since 2015 (#2,194#3,903)
  • Biggest jump: 376 spots in 1930 (#1,223#847)
  • Biggest drop: 123 spots in 1931 (#847#970)
Rise & fade · girls
32 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1906
  • Peaked 1938 at #180 (1,117 births)
  • Births halved by 1943, 5 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 63 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 63 yrs · run 1930–1992
Share of babies · girls
1 in 988
  • Highest: 1 in 988 girls born in 1938 were named Sonja (0.10%)
  • Latest: 1 in 43,440 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1960s
  • 27.7% of all girls named Sonja (10,962) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1900s6#1,727 (1906)#1,727
1910s89#1,896 (1914)#2,330
1920s231#1,223 (1929)#1,858
1930s3,143#180 (1938)#610
1940s5,081#238 (1940)#322
1950s4,619#365 (1959)#414
1960s10,962#220 (1967)#271
1970s7,962#233 (1972)#330
1980s3,240#501 (1981)#600
1990s1,695#827 (1990)#1,112
2000s1,187#1,491 (2000)#1,685
2010s956#1,791 (2012)#2,066
2020s342#2,317 (2020)#3,025

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Sonja in 1938

girls
#180
1,117 births · 1 in 988 girls
boys
#3,534
5 births · 1 in 221,829 boys

Top girls' names in 1938

  1. #1Mary56,225
  2. #2Barbara39,277
  3. #3Patricia27,560
  4. #4Betty25,506
  5. #5Shirley23,766
  6. #6Carol19,421
  7. #7Nancy18,951
  8. #8Dorothy16,358
  9. #9Margaret15,330
  10. #10Joan14,303
  11. #180Sonja1,117

Top boys' names in 1938

  1. #1Robert62,271
  2. #2James59,102
  3. #3John50,517
  4. #4William42,433
  5. #5Richard34,385
  6. #6Charles31,151
  7. #7Donald26,677
  8. #8David22,994
  9. #9Thomas21,381
  10. #10Ronald20,295
  11. #3,534Sonja5
More about 1938

girls

1,103,456 girls got a published name in 1938; 1 in 988 of them was named Sonja, which outranked 96.4% of the 4,995 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sonja
  1. #177Dora1,134
  2. #178Cora1,131
  3. #179Carrie1,123
  4. #180Sonja1,117
  5. #181Caroline1,115
  6. #182Myrtle1,114
  7. #183Mae1,083
Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. 2,209Danielle#2,940#731
  2. 833Lorelei#1,451#618
  3. 623Helaine#1,493#870
  4. 399Janine#1,330#931
  5. 392Imelda#1,282#890
Fallers
  1. 1,261Noreta#964#2,225
  2. 513Norita#532#1,045
  3. 432Noretta#856#1,288
  4. 366Ferne#950#1,316
  5. 327Verdell#904#1,231

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,109,147 boys got a published name in 1938; 1 in 221,829 of them was named Sonja, which outranked 12.4% of the 4,035 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sonja
  1. #3,175Willmer6
  2. #3,175Wyndell6
  3. #3,175Zoltan6
  4. #3,534Sonja5
  5. #3,534Able5
  6. #3,534Abundio5
  7. #3,534Adams5

Tied with 501 names at #3,534; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. 1,314Dion#2,197#883
  2. 448Tex#1,212#764
  3. 425Lonny#1,233#808
  4. 401Gonzalo#1,180#779
  5. 383Lance#722#339
Fallers
  1. 741Worth#1,000#1,741
  2. 528Estel#869#1,397
  3. 492Milburn#845#1,337
  4. 412Lonzo#835#1,247
  5. 405Joy#932#1,337

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1938