Emilie vs Sara
Emilie and Saracompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emilie was ranked #16 and Sara #43 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emilie was ranked #837 and Sara #97 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emilie was ranked #608 and Sara #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emilie was ranked #288 and Sara #161 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emilie was ranked #176 and Sara #164 among girls in Scotland.
Emilie and Sara over time
Emilie and Sara appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Sara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Emilie in 1.
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.
Emilie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sara 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 2014, Emilie moved ahead of Sara in Norway · Girls — #6 and #4 the year before became #3 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emilie and Sara changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2024, ending at #288 and #161.
- Longest-running competitions
Emilie and Sara were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 49 years, from 1958 to 2025, ending at #16 and #43.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emilie #236 in 2010, Sara #78 in 2011.
List by list
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1958–2025
Emilie held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Sara in 18.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #1 in 1999, Sara #4 in 2013.
The order changed in 2014: Emilie moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #6 and #4; by 2014 that had become #3 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emilie #16, Sara #43.
Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1982–2025
Emilie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sara in 38.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #236 in 2010, Sara #78 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emilie #608, Sara #127.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emilie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sara in 29.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #232 in 2013, Sara #82 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emilie #837, Sara #97.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2024
Emilie held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sara in 14.
Highest recorded here: Emilie #136 in 2015, Sara #73 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emilie #288, Sara #161.
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 | Emilie | Sara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). | A variant spelling of Sarah, traditionally interpreted as 'lady', 'princess', or 'noblewoman'. |
| Origin | Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission | Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeh.mee.lee.eh/ | /ˈsɛrə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Emilia, Emelie, Mille, Milly | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #16 (2025) | Norway · Girls #43 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Emilie is recorded with a Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin, while Sara is recorded with a Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages origin.
- Emilie has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sara.
- Emilie's recorded meaning differs from Sara's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Emilie a "high" Data Confidence level and Sara a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Emilie
Popularity journey
First recorded1958
First recorded at #383 among girls in Norway in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1958–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1999 (recorded 1958–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Sara
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1947–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1947–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #43 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls