Emily vs Sarah
Emily 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #5 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #6 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emily was ranked #7 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2019, Emily was ranked #13 and Sarah #100 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2021, Emily was ranked #35 and Sarah #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #44 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Emily was ranked #71 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
Emily and Sarah over time
Emily and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 259 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 Emily 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 1995, Emily moved ahead of Sarah in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #3 and #2 the year before became #2 and #3.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Emily and Sarah changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1969 and 2025, ending at #71 and #115.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 45 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emily and Sarah averaged 23.6 places apart, ending at #35 and #96.
- Longest-running competitions
Emily and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #44 and #131.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sarah in 46.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2011, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order changed in 2010: Emily moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #7 and #4; by 2010 that had become #2 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #6, Sarah #66.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1969–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sarah in 39.
Highest recorded here: Emily #47 in 2014, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order changed in 2018: Emily moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #71 and #58; by 2018 that had become #56 and #70.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #71, Sarah #115.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls45 shared years, 1977–2021
Emily held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sarah in 18.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 1998, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order changed in 1995: Emily moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #3 and #2; by 1995 that had become #2 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Emily #35, Sarah #96.
New Zealand · Girls45 shared years, 1975–2019
Emily held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sarah in 26.
Highest recorded here: Emily #2 in 2013, Sarah #1 in 1975.
The order changed in 2002: Emily moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #10 and #9; by 2002 that had become #8 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Emily #13, Sarah #100.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Emily held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sarah in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2003, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emily #44, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Emily held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Sarah in 11.
Highest recorded here: Emily #1 in 2013, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order changed in 2008: Emily moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #11 and #7; by 2008 that had become #7 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emily #5, Sarah #75.
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 | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Rival, striving, eager (traditional interpretation of the Latin root). | 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. |
| Origin | Latin, from the Roman family name Aemilia | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛməli/ | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Emily has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Emily'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.
- The available evidence gives Emily a "high" Data Confidence level and Sarah 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 recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #44 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Sarah
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1958–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1958–2019).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #131 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls