Zofia
A feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "wisdom" or "life".
Name Census estimates that about 1,831 living Americans carry the first name Zofia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Zofia today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zofia births was 2011 (102 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zofia. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Zofia is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 14 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.8K
~ 1 in 187,195 Americans
Peak year
2011
102 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,687
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Zofia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zofia from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 840 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Zofia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zofia by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Zofia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zofias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 13 states and territories. Illinois, California, New York recorded the most babies named Zofia, while Washington, North Carolina, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 57 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zofia
The name Zofia is derived from the Greek name Sophia, which means "wisdom." It has its roots in ancient Greek culture and philosophy, where wisdom was highly valued and revered. The name gained popularity during the Byzantine era and spread throughout Eastern Europe, particularly in regions with strong Greek cultural and religious influences.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Zofia can be found in the 12th century, when it was used by members of the Russian nobility. The name gained widespread recognition in Poland, where it was adopted and adapted to the local language and cultural norms, becoming a popular choice among the Polish aristocracy and gentry.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Zofia. One such figure was Zofia Holszańska (1405-1461), a Polish princess and the wife of Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania. Another prominent bearer of the name was Zofia Opalińska (1599-1654), a Polish noblewoman and a prominent patron of the arts, known for her support of the Polish Baroque movement.
In the 19th century, Zofia Kovalevskaya (1850-1891) gained recognition as a renowned Russian mathematician and writer, making significant contributions to the fields of partial differential equations and mechanics. Her groundbreaking work paved the way for future generations of women in mathematics and academia.
The name Zofia also has religious significance, as it was borne by Zofia Fenrych (1916-2003), a Polish Roman Catholic nun and a member of the Franciscan Order, who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003 for her service and commitment to her faith.
Another notable figure with the name Zofia was Zofia Nałkowska (1884-1954), a Polish novelist and playwright, whose works explored themes of societal injustice, gender roles, and the human condition. Her novels, such as "Granica" (The Frontier) and "Medaliony" (Medallions), are considered classics of Polish literature and have been widely translated and studied.
These examples demonstrate the rich history and diversity of individuals who have carried the name Zofia throughout the centuries, each leaving their mark on various fields and contributing to the cultural tapestry of their respective societies.
People
Zofia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zofia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zofia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zofia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,831 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zofia going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 187,195 US residents.
Is Zofia a common name?
We classify Zofia as "Rare". It ranks above 93.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,927 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zofia most popular?
The single biggest year for Zofia was 2011, when 102 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zofia is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zofia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Zofia in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.