Behind the Name Sophia

When faced with the task of naming our eighth child and youngest daughter, my husband and I were bombarded by friends and loved ones with a myriad of names, some unique, interesting or unusual. The one name that stuck out was Sophia. It brought to mind not only the stunning beauty of such famous figures as Sophia Lauren the actress, but the intelligence and wisdom associated with the classical Greek archetypical woman. But what exactly did the name Sophia mean? After a little research we realized that we had chosen the perfect name for our spunky, curious, intelligent and thoughtful little angel. It was a name fit for a queen, and has been used by several including Queen Sonia of Norway and Sophia Dorothea wife of King George I of Great Britain. Well at least it was apt for our little princess in our opinion.

The name Sophia has been used for centuries. Though it experienced a slight decline in the United States during the 1920's and 30's, it is as popular today as it ever was. It has been recorded by census in English speaking countries since at least the 17th century.The name is usually credited to the Ancient Greeks during the Hellenistic period meaning "lover of wisdom" but the Hebrew tradition puts the origin of the name at a much earlier date. The beginning of time to be exact. According to Agnostic traditions, which rely heavily on early Hebrew mythology, Sophia was the mother of the universe. It is her "spark" of life that exists in all living things. She also is the consort of God and as such the tri fold element in the Holy trinity. She is sometimes called Sophia Pistis and is considered to be the feminine side of God. Sophia is the voice of, the creative power of, and the translator of the word of God. Pretty heavy stuff huh?

Sophia has been used as both a male and female name though it is more popular in modern use as a feminine name. Though the most common meaning of the name comes from the Greek "wisdom" there are other connotations of the name as well. Other meanings or traits of the name include: righteous, wise, loving, communicative, knowledgeable, protective, giving and truthful. As the patron of all those who are wise, these are the traits that are most associated with wise and knowing men (or women).

The tale of the Saint Sophia of the Greek Orthodox church has been a beacon of hope for generations of women. She is considered the patron saint of widows. According to legend, Saint Sophia was a widow woman from Milan who gave away all her worldly possessions after the death of her husband. She then moved to Rome to stay with a rich woman with her three daughters. All four women were martyred after they were tortured to death by Emperor Hadrian for their faith. Sophia was the only survivor who died of a broken heart three days after she buried her daughters.

Sophia is the name given to the "wise bride of Solomon" by the Israelites of the Old Testament and was worshipped in ancient Greece as the Goddess of Wisdom and War Athena. She is also worshipped as the Goddess of Love and War in many ancient Mesopotamian cultures. Sophia was throughout the ancient world the Goddess of those of wisdom. Sophia is not just a name, it is an idea, a theology, a philosophy and an enigma! In fact the word Philosophy comes from the Greek word Sophia meaning wisdom. She is also the mother of Faith, Hope and Charity.

There are places named after Sophia such as the Hagias Sophia, a Muslim mosque in Istanbul which was once a fabulous Byzantine Christian church. Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. There are in the United States a Sophia, North Carolina and a Sophia, West Virginia.

There are many books, articles, web sites, and even religious movements named for Sophia. There is a famous Catholic University founded in Japan in the early 1900's named Sophia University in honor of the pursuit of wisdom. The Sophia Smith collection at Smith University in Northampton, Massachusetts is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, letters and other historical documentation of women's history, one of the most complete and largest in the world.

Sophia is also a popular name for restaurants around the world and especially in the United States. The San Sophia is a well known hotel in Colorado. It is also the chosen name of many brands of electronics and electronic devices. There is even an asteroid belt named Sophia. In the 15th century the name was popular among German royalty. Some movie enthusiasts might recall a movie about World War II called Sophie's Choice.

Sophia has many variants among which are: Sofia, Sophie, Sofie, Zoey, Zophia, Zorosia, Sonnie (famous singing duet Sonnie and Cher come to mind), Saffie, Zofia, Sonja, Sonia, Sochie, Laysonya, and Sofi are just a few.

The name translates as Hohkma in Hebrew, Sapientia in Latin and Sheela - na - gig in Celtic. Other translations include Konia or Kopi in Hawaiian, Zofika in Hungarian, Zosia in Polish, Sonya in Russian, and Sofiyko in Ukranian.

Many famous people carry the namesake Sophia. Actresses Sophia Loren and more recently Sophia Bush, romance authors Sophia Johnson and Sophia Nash, to name a few.

Other famous Sophia's:

Sophie Fredericke Augusta AKA Catherine the Great Empress of Russia 1762 - 1796

Sophia Kovalevskaya world famous mathematician and one of the first women scientists 1850-1891

Sophia Charlotte Queen of England, wife of George III and Princess of Germany 1744-1818

Sophia Germain one of the first French women scientists is known for her work in applied mathematics, used as the foundation for building skyscrapers today, numerology, study of physics, acoustics and theory of elasticity as well as her work on breast cancer causes and treatments 1776-1831

Sophia Koksalaki famous fashion designer 1974 - still kicking

Sophia Harter progressive thinker and liberal worked to serve the underprivileged of Ohio served on the state legislature working to establish low income housing, city development and unemployment compensation 1887 - 1954

Sophia Golovkina famous Russian ballet dancer and founder of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography 1915- 2004