Katie vs Sarah
Katie 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 2009, Katie was ranked #92 and Sarah #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #41 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #47 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Katie was ranked #94 and Sarah #91 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Katie was ranked #650 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Katie was ranked #131 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Katie and Sarah over time
Katie and Sarah appear together in 5 published lists, across 176 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katie in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 5 of those lists, and Katie 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 2015, Sarah moved ahead of Katie in England and Wales · Girls — #77 and #95 the year before became #99 and #96.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Katie and Sarah changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1973 and 2025, ending at #41 and #66.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Katie and Sarah averaged 54.2 places apart, ending at #92 and #20.
- Mirrored each other
Over 50 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Katie rose about as far as Sarah fell — from #508 and #33 in 1973 to #41 and #66 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Katie and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #650 and #131.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Katie #1 in 2004, Sarah #5 in 2002.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #12 and #18 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #650 and #131.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls50 shared years, 1973–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sarah in 41.
Highest recorded here: Katie #2 in 2004, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order changed in 2021: Katie moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #30 and #30; by 2021 that had become #35 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #41, Sarah #66.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1976–2014
Katie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 37.
Highest recorded here: Katie #33 in 1981, Sarah #1 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Katie #94, Sarah #91.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls31 shared years, 1976–2009
Katie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 31.
Highest recorded here: Katie #23 in 1986, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Katie #92, Sarah #20.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Katie held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sarah in 11.
Highest recorded here: Katie #9 in 2004, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Sarah moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #77 and #95; by 2015 that had become #99 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Katie #650, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Katie held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Sarah in 5.
Highest recorded here: Katie #1 in 2004, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order changed in 2002: Katie moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #12 and #7; by 2002 that had become #3 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Katie #47, Sarah #75.
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 | Katie | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Kate, itself a short form of Katherine. | 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 | Greek, diminutive form | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪ.ti/ | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Katie is recorded with a Greek, diminutive form origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Katie and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- Katie'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, NZ.
How each name got here
Katie
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #508 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #650 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