An analysis conducted by baby naming expert Laura Wattenberg has revealed that the most popular name for baby girls among nine countries in Europe and the Americas is Sofia and its variants Sophia, Sofie, Sophie and Zsófia.
Wattenberg collected baby name data statistics from 49 countries and discovered this name dominates in places like the United States, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Mexico, Estonia, Chile and Russia, according to Baby Name Wizard.
Specifically, Sofia ranked as the number one name for baby girls in nine countries, while it's the second or third most popular choice in 20 other countries. The name is also popular in many cultures, languages and religions as Sofia is the top choice among Christian and Muslim sects and in countries covering over 22 dialects, according to Good Housekeeping.
In 2012, Sophia emerged as the number one baby girl's name for the first time in a long time, according to New York Daily News, yet it had consistently remained in the Top 25 for decades.
"It just blew me away that so many different languages and cultures would arrive at the same sound at the same time," Wattenberg told Live Science. "I guess that really says something about the way culture is transmitted today."
Sophia and its variants mean "wisdom" in Greek and it was the most popular pick among European royalties in the Middle Ages, according to Baby Center. Famous Sophias include Italian actress Sophia Loren, director Sophia Coppola and "Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara.
