Charlotte vs Sarah
Charlotte 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 2019, Charlotte was ranked #2 and Sarah #100 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Charlotte was ranked #3 and Sarah #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #6 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Charlotte was ranked #10 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #25 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #43 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Charlotte was ranked #162 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
Charlotte and Sarah over time
Charlotte and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 263 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, Charlotte 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 2004, Charlotte moved ahead of Sarah in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #12 and #6 the year before became #6 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Charlotte and Sarah averaged 44.5 places apart, ending at #3 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlotte and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #25 and #131.
List by list
Norway · Girls65 shared years, 1960–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Sarah in 26.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #12 in 1990, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order changed in 2000: Sarah moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #49 and #76; by 2000 that had become #56 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #162, Sarah #115.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sarah in 60.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #39 in 2018, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order changed in 2025: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #64 and #61; by 2025 that had become #43 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #43, Sarah #66.
New Zealand · Girls46 shared years, 1974–2019
Charlotte held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sarah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2006, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 2003: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #11 and #9; by 2003 that had become #9 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Charlotte #2, Sarah #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls32 shared years, 1989–2021
Charlotte held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Sarah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #1 in 2012, Sarah #2 in 1989.
The order changed in 2004: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #12 and #6; by 2004 that had become #6 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Charlotte #3, Sarah #96.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Charlotte held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sarah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #5 in 2000, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlotte #25, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlotte held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sarah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Charlotte #6 in 2024, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order changed in 2016: Charlotte moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #34 and #31; by 2016 that had become #13 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlotte #6, 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 | Charlotte | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Free man (feminine form of Charles). | 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 | French, feminine of Charles | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈʃɑɹlət/ | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Lottie, Charlie, Carlotta | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Charlotte is recorded with a French, feminine of Charles origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Charlotte has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Charlotte's recorded meaning differs from Sarah's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Charlotte a "high" Data Confidence level and Sarah a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Charlotte
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1989–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2012 (recorded 1989–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #25 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