Emily vs Sara
Emily 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2007, Emily was ranked #3 and Sara #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Sara #161 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Sara #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Sara #164 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1992, Emily was ranked #12 and Sara #89 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #34 and Sara #97 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Sara #43 among girls in Norway.
Emily and Sara over time
Emily and Sara appear together in 6 published lists, across 197 years of shared records. Emily held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Sara in 1.
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.
Sara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emily 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 1983, Emily moved ahead of Sara in New Zealand · Girls — #71 and #70 the year before became #47 and #74.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Sara changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1977 and 1992, ending at #12 and #89.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Emily rose about as far as Sara fell — from #32 and #75 in 1997 to #5 and #161 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Sara were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 49 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #71 and #43.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Emily #47 in 2014, Sara #4 in 2013.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Sara in 12.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Sara #78 in 2011.
The order changed in 1988: Emily moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #109 and #83; by 1988 that had become #91 and #98.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Sara #127.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1969–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sara in 49.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Sara #4 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Sara #43.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Sara #82 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #34, Sara #97.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Sara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Sara #73 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Sara #161.
New Zealand · Girls16 shared years, 1977–1992
Emily held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sara in 3.
Highest recorded here: Emily #12 in 1992, Sara #44 in 1986.
The order changed in 1983: Emily moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #71 and #70; by 1983 that had become #47 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Emily #12, Sara #89.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 1977–2007
Emily held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sara in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2000, Sara #51 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Emily #3, Sara #94.
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 | Emily | Sara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | A variant spelling of Sarah, traditionally interpreted as 'lady', 'princess', or 'noblewoman'. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /ˈsɛrə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Em, Emmy, Emilie, Amelia, Aemilia | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #6 (2025) | Norway · Girls #43 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Emily is recorded with a Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia origin, while Sara is recorded with a Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages origin.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sara.
- Emily's recorded meaning differs from Sara'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 Emily 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
Emily
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #180 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #61 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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