Karen vs Sarah
Karen 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 1986, Karen was ranked #100 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1986, Karen was ranked #98 and Sarah #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2010, Karen was ranked #430 and Sarah #19 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Karen was ranked #871 and Sarah #32 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Karen was ranked #442 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Karen was ranked #2440 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Karen and Sarah over time
Karen and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Karen in 1.
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.
Karen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Sarah 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 1977, Sarah moved ahead of Karen in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #10 and #11 the year before became #12 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Karen and Sarah changed places 11 times in Norway · Girls between 1960 and 2025, ending at #442 and #115.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Karen and Sarah averaged 41.8 places apart, ending at #98 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Karen and Sarah were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 65 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #442 and #115.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Karen #417 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #41 and #46 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2019 they were #871 and #32.
List by list
Norway · Girls65 shared years, 1960–2025
Karen held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Sarah in 35.
Highest recorded here: Karen #72 in 1997, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Sarah moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #72 and #86; by 1998 that had become #114 and #91.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #442, Sarah #115.
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1964–2019
Karen held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sarah in 41.
Highest recorded here: Karen #5 in 1977, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order changed in 1979: Sarah moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #9 and #11; by 1979 that had become #9 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Karen #871, Sarah #32.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2025
Karen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Karen #417 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Karen #2440, Sarah #131.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1958–1986
Karen held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sarah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1964, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 1972: Sarah moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #6 and #13; by 1972 that had become #9 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Karen #100, Sarah #1.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1965–1986
Karen held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sarah in 10.
Highest recorded here: Karen #1 in 1965, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order changed in 1977: Sarah moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #10 and #11; by 1977 that had become #12 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Karen #98, Sarah #2.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2010
Karen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 11.
Highest recorded here: Karen #133 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Karen #430, Sarah #19.
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 | Karen | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #442 (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); Karen does not have one recorded yet.
- Karen and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Karen doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Karen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #70 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #131 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls