Amelia vs Sarah
Amelia and Sarahcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2019, Amelia was ranked #1 and Sarah #100 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Amelia was ranked #2 and Sarah #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #3 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amelia was ranked #14 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
Amelia and Sarah over time
Amelia and Sarah appear together in 7 published lists, across 267 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Amelia in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Amelia in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Amelia moved ahead of Sarah in England and Wales · Girls — #35 and #34 the year before became #32 and #38.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amelia and Sarah averaged 43.1 places apart, ending at #2 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Amelia and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 52 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #131.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Girls within 2 years — Amelia #7 in 2024, Sarah #148 in 2024.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sarah in 43.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order changed in 2013: Amelia moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #12 and #10; by 2013 that had become #5 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Sarah #66.
England and Wales · Girls52 shared years, 1996–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Sarah in 5.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order changed in 2001: Amelia moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #35 and #34; by 2001 that had become #32 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #3, Sarah #131.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls35 shared years, 1985–2021
Amelia held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sarah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2020, Sarah #2 in 1985.
The order changed in 2006: Amelia moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #16 and #12; by 2006 that had become #14 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Amelia #2, Sarah #96.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1967–2025
Amelia held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sarah in 23.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Sarah #115.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1986–2019
Amelia held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sarah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2019, Sarah #1 in 1986.
The order changed in 2005: Amelia moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #22 and #17; by 2005 that had become #20 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Amelia #1, Sarah #100.
Scotland · Girls28 shared years, 2024–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sarah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #7 in 2024, Sarah #148 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #7, Sarah #148.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Amelia held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sarah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order changed in 2012: Amelia moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #33 and #19; by 2012 that had become #4 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amelia #14, Sarah #75.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Amelia | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia. | From Hebrew, meaning 'lady, princess, noblewoman'. In the Old Testament, Sarah's name was changed from Sarai by God, alongside Abraham's own name change (Genesis 17:15); she is regarded as matriarch of the Jewish people. |
| Origin | Latin (influence) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /əˈmiːliə/ | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amelie, Amalia, Amy, Mia | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | United Kingdom #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Amelia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Sarah's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Amelia a "high" Data Confidence level and Sarah a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Amelia
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sarah
Popularity journey
First recorded1958
First recorded at #86 among girls in New Zealand in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1958–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1958–2019).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #131 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls