Bethany vs Sarah
Bethany 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 2004, Bethany was ranked #100 and Sarah #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Bethany was ranked #544 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #253 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #539 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Bethany was ranked #384 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Bethany and Sarah over time
Bethany and Sarah appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Bethany 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 3 of those lists, Bethany 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 2016, Sarah moved ahead of Bethany in England and Wales · Girls — #85 and #96 the year before became #103 and #96.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Bethany and Sarah averaged 50.2 places apart, ending at #539 and #130.
- Longest-running competitions
Bethany and Sarah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 33 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #544 and #66.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #13 and #18 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #539 and #130.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls33 shared years, 1991–2025
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #179 in 2003, Sarah #1 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bethany #544, Sarah #66.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sarah in 9.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #11 in 1999, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order changed in 2016: Sarah moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #85 and #96; by 2016 that had become #103 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #539, Sarah #130.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 28.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #32 in 1998, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bethany #253, Sarah #75.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls10 shared years, 1994–2004
Bethany held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 10.
Highest recorded here: Bethany #73 in 1997, Sarah #2 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Bethany #100, Sarah #11.
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 | Bethany | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #544 (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); Bethany does not have one recorded yet.
- Bethany has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Bethany doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Bethany
Popularity journey
First recorded1991
First recorded at #457 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in England and Wales, in 1999 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #544 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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