Sophia

alternative Sofia · alternative Sofya · alternative Sofiya · alternative Sofija

1. A female given name from Ancient Greek.

   To say the truth, Sophia, when very young, discerned that Tom, though an idle, thoughtless, rattling rascal, was nobody's enemy but his own […]

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

   2 more examples

   I intended to call her after Aunt Grizel, but my wife who, during pregnancy, had been reading romances, insisted upon her being called Olivia. In less than another year we had another daughter, and now I was determined that Grizel should be her name; but a rich relation taking a fancy to stand godmother, the girl was, by her directions, called Sophia, so that we had two romantic names in the family, but I solemnly protest I had no hand in it.

   1766, Oliver Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield

   Gram said, "Sophia. Would that be an Italian name?" "It came from a great-aunt," Sophia told her, turning briefly in her direction. "Was your great-aunt Italian?" "No, Scottish." "Oh." I knew what Gram was aiming at here. She wanted to find out whether Sophia was Catholic. She poked her headful of pink curlers forward for a moment and looked at me. "Presbyterian, " I told her. "Oh." She sat back again, Oh, well, you could see her thinking, her own daughter had married Episcopal and the sky hadn't fallen in. "It's a pretty name, anyhow," she told Sophia. "Thank you." "I like names that end with an a, don't you? […]

   1998 Anne Tyler, A Patchwork Planet, A.A.Knopf Inc., page 2

2. GnosticismAn aeon (a form of divine being) in the Gnostic tradition.
3. A town in West Virginia, United States; named for early resident Sophia McGinnis.

plural Sophias · alternative Sofia · alternative Sofya · alternative Sofiya · alternative Sofija

1. archaichistoricalArchaic spelling of Safawi.

   It is written from Constantinople that the 'Sophia' of Persia is dead and that his brother had taken the government.

   1578 May 16, “[letter]”, in Arthur John Butler, editor, Calendar of state papers, Foreign series, of the reign of Elizabeth, 1578–1579, London: Public Record Office, published 1903, →OCLC