Namewise

Ashleigh vs Sarah

Ashleigh 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 2005, Ashleigh was ranked #87 and Sarah #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Ashleigh was ranked #72 and Sarah #23 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2016, Ashleigh was ranked #440 and Sarah #32 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Ashleigh was ranked #764 and Sarah #43 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ashleigh was ranked #2788 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

Ashleigh and Sarah over time

Ashleigh and Sarah appear together in 5 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ashleigh in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ashleigh 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ashleigh and Sarah averaged 29.3 places apart, ending at #87 and #12.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ashleigh and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2788 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls37 shared years, 1971–2021

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #162 in 1995, Sarah #1 in 1984.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Ashleigh #764, Sarah #43.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #58 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ashleigh #2788, Sarah #131.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1985–2005

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #13 in 1993, Sarah #2 in 1985.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Ashleigh #87, Sarah #12.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1986–2005

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #8 in 1992, Sarah #1 in 1986.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Ashleigh #72, Sarah #23.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2016

    Ashleigh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Ashleigh #87 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Ashleigh #440, Sarah #32.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ashleigh

Pairs where Ashleigh shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Sarah

Pairs where Sarah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — moved together in several countries.

  • Christopher vs Paul

    Christopher and Paul both fell over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Christopher · Paul · 80 shared years, 1946–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Leo

    Oliver and Leo both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Leo · 63 shared years, 1959–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Oliver vs Luca

    Oliver and Luca both rose over the same years in 6 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Oliver · Luca · 43 shared years, 1973–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Amelia vs Sofia

    Amelia and Sofia both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Girls; New South Wales, Australia · Girls; Northern Ireland · Girls; Norway · Girls; Republic of Ireland · Girls. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Amelia · Sofia · 36 shared years, 1972–2025 · Moved together in several countries

All moved together in several countries→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ashleigh, Sarah
FieldAshleighSarah
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #2788 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)53/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Ashleigh does not have one recorded yet.
  • Ashleigh and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Ashleigh doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ashleigh

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #417 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1986–2005

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1992 (recorded 1986–2005).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2788 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Sarah

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1958–2019

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1958–2019).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #131 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls