Namewise

Isabella vs Sarah

Isabella 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.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Isabella was ranked #10 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2021, Isabella was ranked #13 and Sarah #96 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2019, Isabella was ranked #14 and Sarah #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Isabella was ranked #44 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Isabella was ranked #48 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Isabella was ranked #50 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Isabella was ranked #122 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

Isabella and Sarah over time

Isabella and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 209 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 6 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 Isabella 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Isabella moved into the top 50 at #34 in 2018 as Sarah fell out of it to #55, having been #32 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2003, Isabella moved ahead of Sarah in England and Wales · Girls — #50 and #39 the year before became #37 and #49.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Isabella and Sarah changed places 7 times in Norway · Girls between 1960 and 2025, ending at #122 and #115.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Isabella and Sarah averaged 26.2 places apart, ending at #13 and #96.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Isabella and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #10 and #131.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls52 shared years, 1960–2025

    Isabella held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sarah in 40.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #42 in 2010, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2025: Sarah moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #104 and #132; by 2025 that had become #122 and #115.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #122, Sarah #115.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1964–2025

    Isabella held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Sarah in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #41 in 2014, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order changed in 2022: Isabella moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #55 and #43; by 2022 that had become #45 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #48, Sarah #66.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Isabella held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sarah in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #6 in 2016, Sarah #18 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2003: Isabella moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #50 and #39; by 2003 that had become #37 and #49.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Isabella #10, Sarah #131.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1993–2021

    Isabella held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sarah in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #1 in 2007, Sarah #2 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2002: Isabella moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #5 and #4; by 2002 that had become #4 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Isabella #13, Sarah #96.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1999–2024

    Isabella held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sarah in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #27 in 2019, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2018: Isabella moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #35 and #32; by 2018 that had become #34 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Isabella #44, Sarah #75.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1995–2019

    Isabella held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sarah in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Isabella #4 in 2008, Sarah #2 in 1995.

    The order changed in 2004: Isabella moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #13 and #11; by 2004 that had become #10 and #17.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Isabella #14, Sarah #100.

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 Isabella

Pairs where Isabella 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 New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia 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 Isabella, Sarah
FieldIsabellaSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningMy God is an oath (via Elizabeth).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.
OriginSpanish/Italian, via ElizabethBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˌɪzəˈbɛlə//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables42
Common variants / nicknamesBella, Izzy, Isabel, IsobelNot 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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #10 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Isabella is recorded with a Spanish/Italian, via Elizabeth origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Isabella has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
  • Isabella'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 Isabella 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

Isabella

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1960

    First recorded at #472 among girls in Norway in 1960 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1993–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2007 (recorded 1993–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #10 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #131 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls