Kirsten vs Sarah
Kirsten 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 1989, Kirsten was ranked #99 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Kirsten was ranked #426 and Sarah #31 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Kirsten was ranked #621 and Sarah #32 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Kirsten was ranked #510 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kirsten was ranked #5891 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Kirsten and Sarah over time
Kirsten and Sarah appear together in 5 published lists, across 153 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kirsten in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kirsten reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Sarah in 1. 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 1980, Sarah moved ahead of Kirsten in Norway · Girls — #193 and #206 the year before became #191 and #174.
- Longest-running competitions
Kirsten and Sarah were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 52 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #510 and #115.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kirsten #195 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Girls52 shared years, 1960–2025
Kirsten held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Sarah in 34.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #65 in 1960, Sarah #42 in 2002.
The order changed in 1980: Sarah moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #193 and #206; by 1980 that had become #191 and #174.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kirsten #510, Sarah #115.
Republic of Ireland · Girls43 shared years, 1971–2019
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 43.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #186 in 2006, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Kirsten #621, Sarah #32.
England and Wales · Girls27 shared years, 1996–2024
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 27.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #195 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kirsten #5891, Sarah #130.
Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2015
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 16.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #75 in 1998, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Kirsten #426, Sarah #31.
New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1968–1989
Kirsten held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Kirsten #38 in 1974, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Kirsten #99, Sarah #1.
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 | Kirsten | 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 | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #510 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 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); Kirsten does not have one recorded yet.
- Kirsten and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Kirsten doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Kirsten
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #510 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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