Namewise

Denise vs Sarah

Denise 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 1973, Denise was ranked #86 and Sarah #6 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Denise was ranked #834 and Sarah #30 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Denise was ranked #426 and Sarah #31 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1969, Denise was ranked #97 and Sarah #67 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Denise was ranked #4867 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

Denise and Sarah over time

Denise and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Denise in 0.

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.

Denise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 1966, Sarah moved ahead of Denise in New Zealand · Girls — #26 and #27 the year before became #34 and #26.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Denise and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #4867 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Denise #664 in 1998, Sarah #18 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #56 and #46 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2020 they were #834 and #30.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1964–2020

    Denise held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sarah in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Denise #31 in 1981, Sarah #1 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Denise #834, Sarah #30.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Denise #664 in 1998, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Denise #4867, Sarah #131.

  • New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1958–1973

    Denise held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sarah in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Denise #23 in 1960, Sarah #6 in 1973.

    The order changed in 1966: Sarah moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #26 and #27; by 1966 that had become #34 and #26.

    Most recent shared year, 1973: Denise #86, Sarah #6.

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 Denise

Pairs where Denise 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

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 Denise, Sarah
FieldDeniseSarah
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/
Syllables32
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 #4867 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Denise does not have one recorded yet.
  • Denise has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Denise 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

Denise

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1969

    Highest recorded position: #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1969).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4867 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