Amy vs Sarah
Amy 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #90 and Sarah #33 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Sarah #42 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #253 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #457 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Amy and Sarah over time
Amy and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 237 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Amy in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 4 of those lists, Amy in 1. 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 2015, Sarah moved ahead of Amy in England and Wales · Girls — #82 and #95 the year before became #117 and #96.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amy and Sarah changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #253 and #75.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Sarah averaged 16.7 places apart, ending at #90 and #33.
- Longest-running competitions
Amy and Sarah were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1975 to 2012, ending at #90 and #33.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amy #9 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #9 and #18 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #363 and #130.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 60.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Sarah #66.
Norway · Girls45 shared years, 1970–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 45.
Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #457, Sarah #115.
New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 1975–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 38.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Sarah #1 in 1975.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Sarah #42.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1975–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 37.
Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #90, Sarah #33.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sarah in 10.
Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Sarah moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #82 and #95; by 2015 that had become #117 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #363, Sarah #130.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sarah in 22.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Amy #253, 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 | Amy | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
- Amy and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Amy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Amy
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1975–2012
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #457 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #115 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls