Sophia

Sophia ~ Wisdom ~ Greek

Meaning
Sophia has a meaning as lovely as its sound: wisdom. The modern Greek word is used to refer to spiritual and philosophical wisdom in many different traditions, including Gnostism, Platonism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Christian mysticism. No matter the thought behind it, the wisdom Hagia Sophia refers to is "holy wisdom" and is about insight, enlightenment, and good judgment instead of intellect or knowledge. It's a beautiful word with an idyllic meaning and deeply spiritual foundations.

Famous Sophias
But Sophia has another side—one of glamor, royalty, charm, and beauty. Sophia has been the name of several princesses and other royalty, but our recent fascination with it might have more to do with Sophia Loren, the Italian actress known for her beauty. Other fashionable women with the name include Sophia Tolli (wedding gown designer), Sophia Bush (actress on One Tree Hill) and Sophia Myles (played Isolde in the film Tristan + Isolde).

I think Sophia is elegant and pretty, while the French form Sophie is adorable and sweet. It's hard to go wrong with such a nice name, and America has chosen it so often it's number 3 on the charts (for 2014). Is it trendy? Yes. But it's also classy.

Alternate Spellings and Variations

• Sophie
• Sofia
• Sofie
• Sofiya
• Sophy

Celebrity Babies Named Sophia

Celebrities with daughters named Sophia include

• Julia Haworth
• Sylvester Stallone
• Chris Meloni