Namewise

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 2024, Katie was ranked #547 and Sarah #130 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 175 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 31 years, from 1976 to 2009, ending at #92 and #20.

  • 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 2024 they were #547 and #130.

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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Katie held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sarah in 10.

    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, 2024: Katie #547, Sarah #130.

  • 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.

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 Katie

Pairs where Katie 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 Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 Katie, Sarah
FieldKatieSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA 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.
OriginGreek, diminutive formBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈkeɪ.ti//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #41 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · 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 #115 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls