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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201943peak #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——
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1907——
1906#1,7276—
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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 1943

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedAKMaine: #206 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,540 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedNHWashington: #195 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,326 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #115 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 521 girlsNDMinnesota: #158 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,143 girlsMNIllinois: #285 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 2,804 girlsILWisconsin: #212 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 2,172 girlsWIMichigan: #280 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 3,131 girlsMINew York: #345 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 3,947 girlsNYMassachusetts: #322 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 4,853 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #170 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 998 girlsSDIowa: #203 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,728 girlsIAIndiana: #270 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,711 girlsINOhio: #269 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 2,597 girlsOHPennsylvania: #342 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 4,293 girlsPANew Jersey: #350 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 4,520 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #266 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 2,052 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedCONebraska: #223 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,695 girlsNEMissouri: #268 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,350 girlsMOKentucky: #283 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,413 girlsKYWest Virginia: #241 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,770 girlsWVVirginia: #255 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,895 girlsVAMaryland: #292 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,694 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedNMKansas: #214 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,636 girlsKSArkansas: #392 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,463 girlsARTennessee: #302 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 2,469 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #345 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,312 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #296 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,267 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #204 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,186 girlsOKLouisiana: #375 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,054 girlsLAMississippi: #314 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,280 girlsMSAlabama: #375 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,778 girlsALGeorgia: #242 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,523 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Sonja, so not publishedHITexas: #341 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 2,398 girlsTXFlorida: #294 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,083 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. North Dakota#115 · 1 in 521
  2. Minnesota#158 · 1 in 1,143
  3. South Dakota#170 · 1 in 998
  4. Washington#195 · 1 in 1,326
  5. Iowa#203 · 1 in 1,728

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#115101 in 521
Minnesota#158221 in 1,143
South Dakota#17051 in 998
Washington#195141 in 1,326
Iowa#203121 in 1,728
Oklahoma#204181 in 1,186
Maine#20651 in 1,540
Wisconsin#212131 in 2,172
Kansas#21491 in 1,636
Nebraska#22361 in 1,695
West Virginia#241111 in 1,770
Georgia#242241 in 1,523
Virginia#255161 in 1,895
California#266381 in 2,052
Missouri#268141 in 2,350
Ohio#269251 in 2,597
Indiana#270121 in 2,711
Michigan#280181 in 3,131
Kentucky#283121 in 2,413
Illinois#285251 in 2,804
Maryland#29271 in 2,694
Florida#294101 in 2,083
South Carolina#296111 in 2,267
Tennessee#302131 in 2,469
Mississippi#314111 in 2,280
Massachusetts#32281 in 4,853
Texas#341311 in 2,398
Pennsylvania#342211 in 4,293
New York#345291 in 3,947
North Carolina#345131 in 3,312
New Jersey#35081 in 4,520
Alabama#37591 in 3,778
Louisiana#37591 in 3,054
Arkansas#39261 in 3,463
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
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Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
Utah———
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 1943

girls
#304
525 births · 1 in 2,658 girls
boys
#3,538
5 births · 1 in 285,459 boys

Top girls' names in 1943

  1. #1Mary66,174
  2. #2Barbara43,432
  3. #3Patricia39,620
  4. #4Linda38,439
  5. #5Carol31,686
  6. #6Sandra25,990
  7. #7Judith25,214
  8. #8Sharon24,712
  9. #9Nancy23,988
  10. #10Betty21,596
  11. #304Sonja525

Top boys' names in 1943

  1. #1James80,278
  2. #2Robert74,892
  3. #3John68,929
  4. #4William55,904
  5. #5Richard46,339
  6. #6David37,240
  7. #7Charles36,632
  8. #8Thomas32,874
  9. #9Ronald29,239
  10. #10Michael24,745
  11. #3,538Sonja5
More about 1943

girls

1,395,293 girls got a published name in 1943; 1 in 2,658 of them was named Sonja, which outranked 94.3% of the 5,367 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sonja
  1. #301Muriel530
  2. #302Francine529
  3. #302Reba529
  4. #304Sonja525
  5. #305Sallie523
  6. #306Rosalind516
  7. #307Joanna514
Biggest movers since 1942
Risers
  1. ↑ 878Tana#1,559 → #681
  2. ↑ 754Rozanne#1,706 → #952
  3. ↑ 722Cheryle#1,592 → #870
  4. ↑ 596Tena#1,592 → #996
  5. ↑ 525Alexis#1,349 → #824
Fallers
  1. ↓ 594Florida#997 → #1,591
  2. ↓ 467Jerilynn#581 → #1,048
  3. ↓ 364Lorelei#864 → #1,228
  4. ↓ 308Kaaren#536 → #844
  5. ↓ 305Erna#864 → #1,169

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

boys

1,427,297 boys got a published name in 1943; 1 in 285,459 of them was named Sonja, which outranked 12.4% of the 4,040 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sonja
  1. #3,231Wren6
  2. #3,231Zannie6
  3. #3,231Zell6
  4. #3,538Sonja5
  5. #3,538Abbott5
  6. #3,538Abelino5
  7. #3,538Abundio5

Tied with 502 names at #3,538; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1942
Risers
  1. ↑ 514Derek#1,228 → #714
  2. ↑ 465Armond#1,421 → #956
  3. ↑ 368Les#1,214 → #846
  4. ↑ 347Aron#1,244 → #897
  5. ↑ 321Edsel#1,167 → #846
Fallers
  1. ↓ 500Humberto#780 → #1,280
  2. ↓ 352Chauncey#928 → #1,280
  3. ↓ 352Clearence#991 → #1,343
  4. ↓ 344Macarthur#512 → #856
  5. ↓ 325Reyes#933 → #1,258

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

See the top 100 for 1943 →