Namewise

Fiona vs Sarah

Fiona 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 1987, Fiona was ranked #92 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1987, Fiona was ranked #95 and Sarah #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2017, Fiona was ranked #432 and Sarah #32 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Fiona was ranked #325 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Fiona was ranked #399 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Fiona was ranked #1406 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

Fiona and Sarah over time

Fiona and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Fiona in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Fiona reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Sarah 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 1974, Sarah moved ahead of Fiona in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #15 and #24 the year before became #17 and #14.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Fiona and Sarah averaged 40.1 places apart, ending at #95 and #2.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 30 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Sarah rose about as far as Fiona fell — from #54 and #86 in 1958 to #92 and #1 in 1987.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Fiona and Sarah were both ranked in New Zealand · Girls for 30 years, from 1958 to 1987, ending at #92 and #1.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Fiona #157 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Fiona held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sarah in 47.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1979: Sarah moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #7 and #11; by 1979 that had become #12 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #325, Sarah #66.

  • Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1963–2025

    Fiona held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sarah in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #207 in 2015, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1967: Sarah moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #389 and #480; by 1967 that had become #545 and #524.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #399, Sarah #115.

  • New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1958–1987

    Fiona held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sarah in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #14 in 1969, Sarah #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1970: Sarah moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #14 and #17; by 1970 that had become #18 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #92, Sarah #1.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #1406, Sarah #130.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1965–1987

    Fiona held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sarah in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #12 in 1969, Sarah #2 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1974: Sarah moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #15 and #24; by 1974 that had become #17 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #95, Sarah #2.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017

    Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Fiona #432, Sarah #32.

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 Fiona

Pairs where Fiona 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 Fiona, Sarah
FieldFionaSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe feminine form of Fionn. Popularized by Scottish poet James Macpherson in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was spelled 'Fióna'.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.
OriginScottish, feminine of FionnBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/fi.ˈoʊ.nə//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 #325 (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

  • Fiona is recorded with a Scottish, feminine of Fionn origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Fiona and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • Fiona'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

Fiona

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #87 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #399 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · 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 #115 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls