Namewise

Laura vs Sarah

Laura 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, Laura was ranked #90 and Sarah #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2008, Laura was ranked #71 and Sarah #32 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #112 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Laura was ranked #253 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #141 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Laura was ranked #303 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Laura was ranked #351 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

Laura and Sarah over time

Laura and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 246 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Laura 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.

Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Laura 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 2002, Sarah moved ahead of Laura in England and Wales · Girls — #37 and #38 the year before became #48 and #39.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Laura and Sarah changed places 14 times in Norway · Girls between 1963 and 2025, ending at #141 and #115.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Laura and Sarah averaged 46.3 places apart, ending at #303 and #131.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Laura and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #303 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Laura #17 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls62 shared years, 1963–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sarah in 53.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #99 in 2024, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #141, Sarah #115.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Laura held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 62.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #2 in 1985, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #112, Sarah #66.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls34 shared years, 1976–2009

    Laura held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #9 in 1994, Sarah #2 in 1981.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Laura #90, Sarah #20.

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

    Laura held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sarah in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #17 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2002: Sarah moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #37 and #38; by 2002 that had become #48 and #39.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Laura #303, Sarah #131.

  • New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1978–2008

    Laura held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #8 in 1995, Sarah #1 in 1978.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Laura #71, Sarah #32.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Laura held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Laura #13 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Laura #253, 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 Laura

Pairs where Laura 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway 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 Laura, Sarah
FieldLauraSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems.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.
OriginLatinBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈlɔɹ.ə//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot 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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #112 (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

  • Laura is recorded with a Latin origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Laura and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • Laura'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.

How each name got here

Laura

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #313 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #303 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