Names that mean wisdom
Sophia, Greek for "wisdom", leads this list. Germanic names add rad, "counsel", seen in Raymond, Ralph and Alfred ("elf counsel"), and Avery, a Norman form of Alfred.
Girl names (8)
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia | wisdom | Greek | #5 |
| Sofia | wisdom | Greek | #9 |
| Avery | from Alfred: elf + counsel | English | #37 |
| Sophie | wisdom (French form of Sophia) | Greek | #55 |
| Veda | knowledge (Sanskrit) | Sanskrit | #739 |
| Sonia | pet form of Sophia; "wisdom" | Greek | #1,307 |
| Sonya | pet form of Sophia; "wisdom" | Greek | #1,939 |
| Sonja | pet form of Sophia; "wisdom" | Greek | #3,966 |
Boy names (14)
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhett | advice (from Dutch de Raedt) | Germanic | #188 |
| Bodhi | awakening, enlightenment (Sanskrit) | Sanskrit | #265 |
| Raymond | counsel + protection | Germanic | #395 |
| Conrad | bold counsel | Germanic | #417 |
| Ronald | ruler with counsel (Norse, via Scottish Gaelic) | Scandinavian | #638 |
| Raul | counsel wolf (Spanish form of Ralph) | Germanic | #634 |
| Koen | bold counsel (Dutch, short for Koenraad) | Germanic | #623 |
| Alfredo | elf counsel (Italian/Spanish Alfred) | English | #820 |
| Ray | short form of Raymond | Germanic | #792 |
| Ramon | Spanish form of Raymond | Germanic | #852 |
| Alfred | elf counsel | English | #840 |
| Reginald | counsel + rule | Germanic | #1,284 |
| Ralph | wolf counsel | Germanic | #1,048 |
| Kurt | short form of Konrad; "bold counsel" | Germanic | #2,271 |
How names get on this list
Our editors read each name's documented etymology and tag a theme only when the roots of the name carry that meaning. Popular explanations without support (folk etymologies) don't count, and names whose origin is uncertain are left out unless every explanation agrees. The list covers the roughly 2,000 most used names we have researched so far, ordered by the number of US babies in the last five years. How we research meanings.