Sondra is a unique and distinctive female given name of American origin. It is a variant spelling of the name Sandra, which has been popular for several decades. The name Sondra is believed to have originated from the Italian name Alessandro, meaning "defending men" or "protecting men". However, some sources suggest that it may also be derived from the Germanic name Alaric, meaning "all noble".
The name Sondra gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century. It was used by several notable figures, such as actress Sondra Locke and poet Sondra Gerson. Despite its popularity in the past, the name Sondra is not currently among the most popular names for baby girls in the US.
While there are no specific historical figures named Sondra, the name has been associated with a few notable characters in literature and film. For example, Sondra Finch was the main character in "The Women of Brewster Place" by Gloria Naylor, and Sondra PR was a character in the science fiction series "Babylon 5".
Overall, the name Sondra is a unique and memorable choice for parents looking for an uncommon yet meaningful name for their daughter. Its origins and meaning make it a strong and powerful option that stands out from more common names like Sandra or Alexandra.
Based on the provided statistics, we can observe the trend of the given name Sondra in the United States over several decades:
* The name first appears with a significant number of births in the late 1920s, with 20 births in 1926 and 42 births in 1927.
* Its popularity peaks during the mid-1930s, reaching a high point of 879 births in 1940. This suggests that Sondra was a popular choice for parents naming their daughters during this period.
* However, popularity began to decline shortly after its peak:
+ In the 1950s, the number of births dropped below 600 annually.
+ By the late 1970s and early 1980s, fewer than 300 girls were named Sondra each year.
* Throughout the remainder of the century, the popularity of the name continued to decrease:
+ In the 1990s, annual births numbered between 25 and 100.
+ Between 2000 and 2016, fewer than 20 girls were named Sondra each year on average.
* Interestingly, there was a slight uptick in popularity in recent years:
+ In 2021, the name reemerged with 8 births.
In conclusion, while Sondra was once a popular choice for baby girls during the mid-20th century, its popularity has significantly decreased over time. Nonetheless, it appears that this name may still hold some appeal for parents today, as indicated by the recent births in 2021.