Belinda vs Sarah
Belinda 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 1981, Belinda was ranked #96 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1992, Belinda was ranked #88 and Sarah #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 1998, Belinda was ranked #498 and Sarah #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2013, Belinda was ranked #563 and Sarah #51 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Belinda was ranked #5927 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Belinda and Sarah over time
Belinda and Sarah appear together in 5 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Belinda in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Belinda reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sarah 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 1977, Sarah moved ahead of Belinda in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #6 and #11 the year before became #8 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Belinda and Sarah changed places 7 times in Norway · Girls between 1960 and 2013, ending at #563 and #51.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Belinda and Sarah averaged 26.0 places apart, ending at #88 and #2.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Sarah rose about as far as Belinda fell — from #48 and #85 in 1965 to #88 and #2 in 1992.
- Longest-running competitions
Belinda and Sarah were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 34 years, from 1960 to 2013, ending at #563 and #51.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Belinda #571 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1960–2013
Belinda held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sarah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Belinda #223 in 1976, Sarah #42 in 2002.
The order changed in 1975: Sarah moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #284 and #298; by 1975 that had become #318 and #261.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Belinda #563, Sarah #51.
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1964–1998
Belinda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 34.
Highest recorded here: Belinda #179 in 1967, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Belinda #498, Sarah #3.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls28 shared years, 1965–1992
Belinda held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sarah in 16.
Highest recorded here: Belinda #6 in 1974, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order changed in 1977: Sarah moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #6 and #11; by 1977 that had become #8 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Belinda #88, Sarah #2.
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2025
Belinda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 27.
Highest recorded here: Belinda #571 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Belinda #5927, Sarah #131.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 1965–1981
Belinda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Belinda #40 in 1975, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Belinda #96, Sarah #1.
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 | Belinda | 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 | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #5927 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 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); Belinda does not have one recorded yet.
- Belinda has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Belinda doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Belinda
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1957–1992).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #5927 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