Helena vs Sara
Helena 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, Helena was ranked #172 and Sara #43 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Helena was ranked #329 and Sara #110 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Helena was ranked #166 and Sara #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Helena was ranked #790 and Sara #164 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Helena was ranked #391 and Sara #328 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Helena and Sara over time
Helena and Sara appear together in 4 published lists, across 184 years of shared records. Sara held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Helena in 0.
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.
Helena reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Sara 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 1986, Sara moved ahead of Helena in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #102 and #107 the year before became #110 and #99.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Helena and Sara changed places 9 times in Norway · Girls between 1947 and 2025, ending at #172 and #43.
- Longest-running competitions
Helena and Sara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #329 and #110.
List by list
Norway · Girls73 shared years, 1947–2025
Helena held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sara in 62.
Highest recorded here: Helena #74 in 2006, Sara #4 in 2013.
The order changed in 1970: Sara moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #280 and #347; by 1970 that had become #326 and #213.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Helena #172, Sara #43.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Helena held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Sara in 40.
Highest recorded here: Helena #63 in 1964, Sara #78 in 2011.
The order changed in 1986: Sara moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #102 and #107; by 1986 that had become #110 and #99.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Helena #166, Sara #127.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Helena held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sara in 30.
Highest recorded here: Helena #145 in 1996, Sara #82 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Helena #329, Sara #110.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2023
Helena held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sara in 19.
Highest recorded here: Helena #229 in 1998, Sara #73 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Helena #391, Sara #328.
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 | Helena | Sara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A variant spelling of Sarah, traditionally interpreted as 'lady', 'princess', or 'noblewoman'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɛrə/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #166 (2025) | Norway · Girls #43 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sara has a recorded origin (Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages); Helena does not have one recorded yet.
- Helena has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sara.
- A meaning is recorded for Sara; Helena doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Helena
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #326 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #63 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls