Namewise

Ellie vs Sarah

Ellie 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2019, Ellie was ranked #41 and Sarah #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2021, Ellie was ranked #42 and Sarah #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

Ellie and Sarah over time

Ellie and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 141 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 6 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 6 of those lists, and Ellie 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 took the other's place near the top

    In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Ellie moved into the top 50 at #40 in 2016 as Sarah fell out of it to #55, having been #41 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1998, Ellie moved ahead of Sarah in England and Wales · Girls — #27 and #22 the year before became #21 and #27.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Ellie and Sarah averaged 41.5 places apart, ending at #119 and #131.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ellie and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #131.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025

    Ellie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sarah in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Sarah #1 in 1987.

    The order changed in 2018: Ellie moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #20 and #19; by 2018 that had become #7 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Sarah #66.

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

    Ellie held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sarah in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Sarah #18 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1998: Ellie moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #27 and #22; by 1998 that had become #21 and #27.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Sarah #131.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Ellie held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Sarah in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2009: Ellie moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #13 and #12; by 2009 that had become #13 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Sarah #75.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1992–2021

    Ellie held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sarah in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #34 in 2019, Sarah #2 in 1992.

    The order changed in 2016: Ellie moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #45 and #41; by 2016 that had become #40 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Ellie #42, Sarah #96.

  • Norway · Girls19 shared years, 2005–2025

    Ellie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sarah in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #30 in 2021, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2018: Ellie moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #62 and #58; by 2018 that had become #60 and #70.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #33, Sarah #115.

  • New Zealand · Girls9 shared years, 2011–2019

    Ellie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sarah in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Ellie #40 in 2015, Sarah #42 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2013: Ellie moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #76 and #42; by 2013 that had become #74 and #75.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Ellie #41, Sarah #100.

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 Ellie

Pairs where Ellie 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 Ellie, Sarah
FieldEllieSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth.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.
OriginVarious, diminutive formBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈɛl.i//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Ellie and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • Ellie'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.

How each name got here

Ellie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1987

    First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #119 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