Cleveland Escorts: Cleveland Evans: History makes the case for ‘Sonia’
The name Sophia is particularly popular with Eastern Orthodox Christians. This is partly because of the Hagia Sophia, the “Church of the Holy Wisdom.”
Built by Emperor Justinian during the sixth century A.D., this huge cathedral was for centuries the spiritual center of Orthodox Christianity. It is still remembered as such today, despite having been turned into a mosque when the Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453.
In Russia, the influence of the Orthodox church made Sophia and Sonya very popular names. In the early 20th century, Sonya spread beyond Russia through the work of famous Russian novelists.
In Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” Sonya is the kind and moral orphaned cousin of the Rostov family.
In Dostoevski’s “Crime and Punishment,” Sonya is the main female character. Forced into prostitution to support her drunken father, Sonya is nevertheless loving, devout and understanding. Her love for the murderer Raskolnikov partially redeems him.