Namewise

Donna vs Sarah

Donna 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 1984, Donna was ranked #90 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1982, Donna was ranked #79 and Sarah #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2004, Donna was ranked #372 and Sarah #6 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Donna was ranked #736 and Sarah #61 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Donna was ranked #5891 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.

Donna and Sarah over time

Donna and Sarah appear together in 4 published lists, across 128 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Donna 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.

Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Sarah in none. 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 1973, Sarah moved ahead of Donna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #21 and #36 the year before became #25 and #24.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 27 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Donna and Sarah averaged 41.9 places apart, ending at #90 and #1.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 27 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Sarah rose about as far as Donna fell — from #38 and #86 in 1958 to #90 and #1 in 1984.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Donna and Sarah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #736 and #61.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Donna #441 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1964–2024

    Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 54.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Sarah #1 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #736, Sarah #61.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #441 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Sarah #130.

  • New Zealand · Girls27 shared years, 1958–1984

    Donna held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sarah in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #6 in 1965, Sarah #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1970: Sarah moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #12 and #17; by 1970 that had become #16 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Donna #90, Sarah #1.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1965–1982

    Donna held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sarah in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Donna #5 in 1965, Sarah #2 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1973: Sarah moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #21 and #36; by 1973 that had become #25 and #24.

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Donna #79, Sarah #2.

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 Donna

Pairs where Donna 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 Donna, Sarah
FieldDonnaSarah
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/
Syllables22
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Donna does not have one recorded yet.
  • Donna and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Donna 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

Donna

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1953–1982

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1964 (recorded 1953–1982).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    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