What does Sota mean?
Sota often joins the kanji for “sudden, gallant” with “thick” or “big.”
What does Yuma mean?
Yuma commonly joins kanji for “distant, permanent” with “truth.”
Sota vs Yuma
Which is more popular?
Sota is more popular than Yuma today: about 15 US babies were given the name Sota in 2025, compared with 10 named Yuma.
| Sota | Yuma | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Gallant, big | Permanence; truth |
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | SOH-tah | YOO-mah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1997 | 1974 |
| Peak year | 2015 (22) | 2014 (21) |
| In 2025 | 15 | 10 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Sota
Yuma
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Sota | Yuma |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 55 | 58 |
| 2010s | 110 | 138 |
| 2000s | 38 | 100 |
| 1990s | 11 | 55 |
| 1970s | 0 | 6 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sota or Yuma more popular?
Sota is more popular than Yuma today: about 15 US babies were given the name Sota in 2025, compared with 10 named Yuma.
What is the difference between Sota and Yuma?
Sota means Gallant, big (Japanese origin), while Yuma means Permanence; truth (Japanese origin).
Which name is older, Sota or Yuma?
In US records, Sota first appears in 1997 and Yuma in 1974, so Yuma has the longer recorded history.