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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Sophia f. Greek σοφία 'wisdom'.

The name of a 2nd C martyr, a 4th C martyr, a 15th C queen of Bohemia, and a 15th-16th C grand duchess of Moscow.

The name is often, incorrectly, identified with Arabic Sāfiya, but that is an unrelated name, identical with the Arabic word 'to be pure'.

Brabant
Latin
1312 Sophie (gen) JeanIII p. 12
France
Latin
1138x62 Sophia (abl) clairvaux-12thc 91
Germany
Latin
1248 Sophia (nom) hennes-vol1 129, Sophya (nom) ibid. 126; 1258 Sophya (nom) ibid. 175
Italy
Latin
1265x1339 Sofia (nom) BBC-Berg 205
Latvia
Latin
1288 Sophie (gen) RigSB 511
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Sophia". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2015, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2015/3/name/Sophia.