Namewise

Caroline vs Sarah

Caroline 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 1985, Caroline was ranked #85 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1981, Caroline was ranked #84 and Sarah #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Caroline was ranked #358 and Sarah #31 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #381 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #392 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Caroline was ranked #1271 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

Caroline and Sarah over time

Caroline and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caroline in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Caroline reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Norway · Girls, Sarah moved into the top 50 at #42 in 2002 as Caroline fell out of it to #59, having been #44 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1966, Sarah moved ahead of Caroline in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #83 and #85 the year before became #88 and #76.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Caroline and Sarah averaged 49.3 places apart, ending at #85 and #1.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caroline and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1271 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Caroline #182 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls63 shared years, 1962–2025

    Caroline held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Sarah in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #15 in 1990, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2002: Sarah moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #44 and #49; by 2002 that had become #59 and #42.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #392, Sarah #115.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Caroline held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sarah in 46.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #3 in 1979, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1980: Sarah moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #3 and #7; by 1980 that had become #7 and #2.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #381, Sarah #66.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #182 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caroline #1271, Sarah #131.

  • New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1958–1985

    Caroline held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sarah in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #56 in 1978, Sarah #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1961: Sarah moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #73 and #84; by 1961 that had become #88 and #77.

    Most recent shared year, 1985: Caroline #85, Sarah #1.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 1965–1981

    Caroline held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sarah in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #65 in 1979, Sarah #2 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1966: Sarah moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #83 and #85; by 1966 that had become #88 and #76.

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Caroline #84, Sarah #2.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2015

    Caroline held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Caroline #112 in 1998, Sarah #5 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Caroline #358, Sarah #31.

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 Caroline

Pairs where Caroline 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

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 Caroline, Sarah
FieldCarolineSarah
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
Pronunciation/ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Caroline does not have one recorded yet.
  • Caroline has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Caroline doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Caroline

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1957

    First recorded at #94 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1979 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1271 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