# Sofia
## English
### Pronunciation

* (General American) IPA: /ˈsoʊfiə/, /ˈsoʊfijə/
* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈsəʊfi.ə/, /sɒˈfiːə/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Rhymes: -əʊfiə

### Etymology 1

Variant spelling of Sophia and from various other languages' own adaptions of Ancient Greek Σοφία (Sophía, “wisdom, especially divine wisdom”). Sometimes borrowed into English as an anglicization of an accented or closely related form, as with Spanish Sofía, Welsh Soffia, and Hungarian Zsófia.
As the capital of Bulgaria, via nonstandard romanization of Bulgarian Со́фия (Sófiya), from църква „Света София“ (cǎrkva "Sveta Sofija"), from Byzantine Greek Ναός Ἁγίας Σοφίας (Naós Hagías Sophías, “Church of Holy Wisdom”), the city's prominent 6th-century Byzantine Greek church, first attested being used as the name for the city in the 14th century and reinforced under Ottoman rule as Ottoman Turkish صوفیه (Sofya). Compare the name of the Hagia Sophia.

#### Proper noun

Sofia
* A female given name, variant of Sophia.
* The capital city of Bulgaria.

##### Alternative forms

* (Bulgarian capital): Sofya (historical)

##### Synonyms

* (Bulgarian capital): Serdica, Serdonpolis, Triaditza, Sredets (historical)

##### Derived terms

* Sofian

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

From Malagasy Sofia of uncertain origin. The region is named for the river.

#### Proper noun

Sofia
* A river in northwestern Madagascar
* A region of Madagascar around the river.

### References

* James Sibree Jr., "Malagasy Place-Names", Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, New Ser., Vol. XV, No. 3 (July 1883), p. 193.

### Anagrams

* FOIAs, FIOAs

## Afrikaans
### Proper noun

Sofia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

#### Derived terms

* Sofioot
* Sofioties

## Albanian
### Proper noun

Sofia f
* a female given name

## Catalan
### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central, Balearic) [suˈfi.ə]
* IPA: (Valencia) [soˈfi.a]

### Proper noun

Sofia f
* a female given name, equivalent to English Sophia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

## Danish
### Proper noun

Sofia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)
* a female given name, variant of Sofie, equivalent to English Sophia

## Estonian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsofiɑ̯/, [ˈsofˑiɑ̯]

### Proper noun

Sofia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

## Finnish
### Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek σοφία (sophía). The sense "Sofia (Bulgaria)" is through Bulgarian Со́фия (Sófija).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsofiɑ/, [ˈs̠o̞fiɑ̝]
* Rhymes: -ofiɑ
* Hyphenation: So‧fia

### Proper noun

Sofia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)
* a female given name, equivalent to English Sophia
** 1959, Väinö Linna, Täällä Pohjantähden alla 1, WSOY, published 1965, page 181:Kehdossa makasi juuri äskettäin pappilassa kasteella ollut tyttö, jonka nimenkin rouva muisti: Elma. Se oli hänen antamansa nimi. Vanhemmat olivat tahtoneet Sofiaa, mutta rouva oli saanut kuin saanutkin tytölle suomalaisperäisen nimen. Tosin vain siksi ettei Anttoo pitänyt asiaa millään tavoin tärkeänä.There was a girl just christened still lying out in the cradle, and the old lady hadn't forgotten her name: Elma, the name she had picked. The parents would've liked a Sofia, but in the end a Finnish name was picked, although just because Anttoo didn't think the matter was of any importance.
** 1990, Riitta Vartti, Sun lapsuutes, Gummerus, →ISBN, page 407:—Äiti, minkäs takia mummun nimi on Adalmina ja Sohvi-tätin nimi on Sofia, vaikkei ne oo mitää ruotsinkielisiä? —No, ohan meiän vanha sukunimiki S-t-rantperk, vaikkei sitä osaa kukaa ees lausuu oikei. Ennen vanhaa ihmisille pantii sellasia nimiä. Meiän setähä se suomens nimesä ja se on Rantakallio nytte.—Mom, why is grandma named Adalmina and auntie Sohvi named Sofia, even though they don't speak Swedish? —Well, our old surname's S-t-rantperk too, but nobody can even pronounce that right. People used to give names like that back then. Our uncle got his translated into Finnish and is now a Rantakallio.

#### Declension

Possessive forms of Sofia (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
Sofiani
Sofiani
accusative
nom.
Sofiani
Sofiani
gen.
Sofiani
genitive
Sofiani
Sofioideni Sofioitteni Sofiaini $^{rare}$
partitive
Sofiaani
Sofioitani
inessive
Sofiassani
Sofioissani
elative
Sofiastani
Sofioistani
illative
Sofiaani
Sofioihini
adessive
Sofiallani
Sofioillani
ablative
Sofialtani
Sofioiltani
allative
Sofialleni
Sofioilleni
essive
Sofianani
Sofioinani
translative
Sofiakseni
Sofioikseni
abessive
Sofiattani
Sofioittani
instructive
comitative
—Sofioineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
Sofiasi
Sofiasi
accusative
nom.
Sofiasi
Sofiasi
gen.
Sofiasi
genitive
Sofiasi
Sofioidesi Sofioittesi Sofiaisi $^{rare}$
partitive
Sofiaasi
Sofioitasi
inessive
Sofiassasi
Sofioissasi
elative
Sofiastasi
Sofioistasi
illative
Sofiaasi
Sofioihisi
adessive
Sofiallasi
Sofioillasi
ablative
Sofialtasi
Sofioiltasi
allative
Sofiallesi
Sofioillesi
essive
Sofianasi
Sofioinasi
translative
Sofiaksesi
Sofioiksesi
abessive
Sofiattasi
Sofioittasi
instructive
comitative
—Sofioinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
Sofiamme
Sofiamme
accusative
nom.
Sofiamme
Sofiamme
gen.
Sofiamme
genitive
Sofiamme
Sofioidemme Sofioittemme Sofiaimme $^{rare}$
partitive
Sofiaamme
Sofioitamme
inessive
Sofiassamme
Sofioissamme
elative
Sofiastamme
Sofioistamme
illative
Sofiaamme
Sofioihimme
adessive
Sofiallamme
Sofioillamme
ablative
Sofialtamme
Sofioiltamme
allative
Sofiallemme
Sofioillemme
essive
Sofianamme
Sofioinamme
translative
Sofiaksemme
Sofioiksemme
abessive
Sofiattamme
Sofioittamme
instructive
comitative
—Sofioinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
Sofianne
Sofianne
accusative
nom.
Sofianne
Sofianne
gen.
Sofianne
genitive
Sofianne
Sofioidenne Sofioittenne Sofiainne $^{rare}$
partitive
Sofiaanne
Sofioitanne
inessive
Sofiassanne
Sofioissanne
elative
Sofiastanne
Sofioistanne
illative
Sofiaanne
Sofioihinne
adessive
Sofiallanne
Sofioillanne
ablative
Sofialtanne
Sofioiltanne
allative
Sofiallenne
Sofioillenne
essive
Sofiananne
Sofioinanne
translative
Sofiaksenne
Sofioiksenne
abessive
Sofiattanne
Sofioittanne
instructive
comitative
—Sofioinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
Sofiansa
Sofiansa
accusative
nom.
Sofiansa
Sofiansa
gen.
Sofiansa
genitive
Sofiansa
Sofioidensa Sofioittensa Sofiainsa $^{rare}$
partitive
Sofiaansa
Sofioitaan Sofioitansa
inessive
Sofiassaan Sofiassansa
Sofioissaan Sofioissansa
elative
Sofiastaan Sofiastansa
Sofioistaan Sofioistansa
illative
Sofiaansa
Sofioihinsa
adessive
Sofiallaan Sofiallansa
Sofioillaan Sofioillansa
ablative
Sofialtaan Sofialtansa
Sofioiltaan Sofioiltansa
allative
Sofialleen Sofiallensa
Sofioilleen Sofioillensa
essive
Sofianaan Sofianansa
Sofioinaan Sofioinansa
translative
Sofiakseen Sofiaksensa
Sofioikseen Sofioiksensa
abessive
Sofiattaan Sofiattansa
Sofioittaan Sofioittansa
instructive
comitative
—Sofioineen Sofioinensa :

#### Related terms

* (given name) Sohvi, Sonja

#### Statistics

* Sofia is the 57th most common female given name in Finland, belonging to 11,893 female individuals (and as a middle name to 51,221 more, making it more common as a middle name), and also belongs to 6 male individuals (and as a middle name to 12 more, making it more common as a middle name), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

## French
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /sɔ.fja/
* Audio:(file)

### Proper noun

Sofia f
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

## German
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Etymology 1
#### Proper noun

Sofia f (proper noun, genitive Sofias or Sofia, plural Sofias)
* a female given name, a less common variant of Sophia

##### Declension
### Etymology 2

Borrowed from Bulgarian Со́фия (Sófija).

#### Proper noun

Sofia n (proper noun, genitive Sofias or (optionally with an article) Sofia)
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

##### Declension

$^1$Optionally with an article.

## Italian
### Etymology 1

See Sophia.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /soˈfi.a/
* Homophone: sofia
* Rhymes: -ia
* Hyphenation: So‧fì‧a

#### Proper noun

Sofia f
* a female given name, equivalent to English Sophia

### Etymology 2

Borrowed from Bulgarian София (Sofija, “Sophie, Sophia”), named after the Church of St. Sofia.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsɔ.fja/
* Rhymes: -ɔfja
* Hyphenation: Sò‧fia

#### Proper noun

Sofia f
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

### References

* 1 2 Sofia in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)

### Anagrams

* afosi

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology 1

From Bulgarian София (Sofija), renamed after the Church of St. Sofia in 1376.

#### Proper noun

Sofia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

### Etymology 2
#### Proper noun

Sofia
* a female given name, variant of Sofie, equivalent to English Sophia

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology 1

From Bulgarian София (Sofija), renamed after the Church of St. Sofia in 1376.

#### Proper noun

Sofia
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

### Etymology 2
#### Proper noun

Sofia
* a female given name, variant of Sofie, equivalent to English Sophia

## Polish
### Etymology

Borrowed from Bulgarian Со́фия (Sófija).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsɔ.fja/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɔfja
* Syllabification: So‧fia

### Proper noun

Sofia f
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

#### Derived terms

* sofijski
* sofijczyk
* sofijka

### Further reading

* Sofia in Polish dictionaries at PWN

## Portuguese
### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /soˈfi.ɐ/
* (Brazil) IPA: /soˈfi.ɐ/
** (Southern Brazil) IPA: /soˈfi.a/
* (Portugal) IPA: /suˈfi.ɐ/
* Hyphenation: So‧fi‧a

### Proper noun

Sofia f (plural Sofias)
* a female given name, equivalent to English Sophia

## Slovak
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈsɔfi̯a]

### Proper noun

Sofia f (genitive singular Sofie, declension pattern of ulica)
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)

### References

* “Sofia”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

## Swedish
### Etymology

Ultimately of Ancient Greek origin. First recorded as a given name in Sweden in 1380 as Sophia.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /sʊ²fiːa/
* Audio:(file)

### Proper noun

Sofia c (genitive Sofias)
* Sofia (the capital city of Bulgaria)
* a female given name, equivalent to English Sophia

#### Related terms

* (given name): Sofi, Sofie, Sonja, Sophia, Sophie

### References

* Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN
* Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 88 488 females with the given name Sofia living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with frequency peaks in the 19th century and in the 1990s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.