Gemma vs Sarah
Gemma 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Gemma was ranked #80 and Sarah #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2008, Gemma was ranked #60 and Sarah #32 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2016, Gemma was ranked #353 and Sarah #32 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Gemma was ranked #718 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Gemma was ranked #1541 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Gemma and Sarah over time
Gemma and Sarah appear together in 5 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Gemma in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Gemma 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Gemma and Sarah averaged 52.3 places apart, ending at #60 and #32.
- Longest-running competitions
Gemma and Sarah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #718 and #66.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Gemma #50 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 62.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #36 in 1992, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gemma #718, Sarah #66.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #50 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gemma #1541, Sarah #130.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1984–2010
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 25.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #47 in 1991, Sarah #2 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Gemma #80, Sarah #23.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1982–2008
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 24.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #17 in 1984, Sarah #1 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Gemma #60, Sarah #32.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2016
Gemma held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Gemma #35 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Gemma #353, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Gemma | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gemma does not have one recorded yet.
- Gemma and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Gemma doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Gemma
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #149 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 recorded1982–2008
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1982–2008).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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 #115 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls