Sophia

[AndWhat]

Do you pronounce it Soph-eye-a or Soph-ee-a?
In our family it has been the first one due to a great grandmothers name but locally I only ever hear the second pronunciation.

I have a So-fee-a. But have heard both pronunciations.

I like both pronunciations. Apparently Soph-eye-a used to be the typical pronunciation in the UK, but now Soph-ee-a is more usual.

Soph-ee-a. I've taught a fair few of them now and all have pronounced it this way.

Soph-eye-a is the old English pronunciation, I think they used to pronounce Maria the same way, muh-rye-a, like Mariah Carey. Nowadays and since Sophia become popular again most people will be using the Soph-ee-a pronunciation, as in most of the rest of Europe, which I have to say I do think is slightly prettier and softer sounding.

Thanks. If new baby is a girl I would have liked Soph-eye-a but don't want to give her a lifetime of being mispronounced!

Yes well that probably would happen unfortunately. Same thing with Clara, the old English pronunciation was Clair-a, now everyone says the European pronunciation of Clah-ra. Also Aaron, when I was a kid it was always air-on, now apparently it's arron. The thing that's annoying is that most people, out of ignorance, will deny the older pronunciation ever existed!

You could use Sophia for a middle name? Or name her Sophia (Soph-eye-a), but use Sophie for short?

Soph-eye-a.

Yes it was Soph-eye-a when it occurred among my contemporaries (born late 1960s - they were few and far between) but all the young ones I know are Soph-ee-a.

Soph-ee-a

Wow, I never even knew Soph-eye-a was a used pronunciation. Never heard it before!

As such I would automatically have said Soph-ee-a.

Saw a documentary about somebody from Scotland, called Sophia. Spent the entire documentary thinking she was called Sapphire.

I like the name pronounced both ways, but I would have automatically pronounced it Soph-ee-a. I wasn't aware of the other pronunciation until that programme.

I know a Soph-eye-a aged around 30. Though I agree these days it is normally Soph-ee-a.

I absolutely love the traditional English pronunciations of Sophia and Maria (sof-eye-a and mah-rye-a), and the resulting diminutive Sophy, but I have to agree with pp that they have pretty much died out in favour of sof-ee-a and mah-ree-a. You could assure the old pronunciation with the spelling Mariah but there's no equivalent for Sophia, sadly.

I would assume Soph-ee-a, but I also love Soph-eye-a and would only have to be told once that this was the pronunciation.

Anyone called Sara, Eva, Evelyn, Helena, Esme, Theresa, Kezia would have similar situations as these names have two normal U.K. pronunciations.