Heidi vs Sara
Heidi 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, Heidi was ranked #437 and Sara #43 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Heidi was ranked #65 and Sara #161 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1980, Heidi was ranked #93 and Sara #74 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1985, Heidi was ranked #100 and Sara #80 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Heidi was ranked #91 and Sara #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Heidi was ranked #95 and Sara #164 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Heidi was ranked #107 and Sara #97 among girls in England and Wales.
Heidi and Sara over time
Heidi and Sara appear together in 5 published lists, across 184 years of shared records. Sara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Heidi in 2.
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.
Heidi reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sara in 2. 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, Heidi moved ahead of Sara in Northern Ireland · Girls — #116 and #116 the year before became #99 and #171.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Heidi and Sara changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #107 and #97.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Heidi and Sara averaged 45.9 places apart, ending at #107 and #97.
- Mirrored each other
Over 26 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Heidi rose about as far as Sara fell — from #358 and #75 in 1997 to #65 and #161 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Heidi and Sara were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 74 years, from 1947 to 2025, ending at #437 and #43.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Heidi #76 in 2016, Sara #82 in 2017.
List by list
Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1947–2025
Heidi held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Sara in 36.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #2 in 1965, Sara #4 in 2013.
The order changed in 1990: Sara moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #29 and #43; by 1990 that had become #48 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Heidi #437, Sara #43.
Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1968–2025
Heidi held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sara in 37.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #74 in 2019, Sara #78 in 2011.
The order changed in 2016: Heidi moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #109 and #89; by 2016 that had become #82 and #97.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Heidi #91, Sara #127.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Heidi held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sara in 17.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #76 in 2016, Sara #82 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Heidi #107, Sara #97.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024
Heidi held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sara in 9.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #48 in 2021, Sara #73 in 2008.
The order changed in 2014: Heidi moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #116 and #116; by 2014 that had become #99 and #171.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Heidi #65, Sara #161.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls8 shared years, 1976–1985
Heidi held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Sara in 5.
Highest recorded here: Heidi #65 in 1977, Sara #70 in 1984.
The order changed in 1981: Sara moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #67 and #82; by 1981 that had become #78 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Heidi #100, Sara #80.
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 | Heidi | Sara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A German diminutive of Adelheid. Gained wide recognition through Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's novel Heidi, and its 1937 film adaptation starring Shirley Temple. | A variant spelling of Sarah, traditionally interpreted as 'lady', 'princess', or 'noblewoman'. |
| Origin | Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid | Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhaɪ̯.di/ | /ˈsɛrə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 #91 (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 | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Heidi is recorded with a Germanic, diminutive of Adelheid origin, while Sara is recorded with a Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages origin.
- Heidi and Sara both have 2 syllables.
- Heidi'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.
How each name got here
Heidi
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #188 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Norway, in 1965 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #437 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