Lydia vs Sarah
Lydia 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Lydia was ranked #608 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Lydia was ranked #87 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2015, Lydia was ranked #99 and Sarah #86 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Lydia was ranked #142 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Lydia was ranked #158 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Lydia was ranked #157 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Lydia and Sarah over time
Lydia and Sarah appear together in 4 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lydia 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, and Lydia 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Lydia and Sarah averaged 21.1 places apart, ending at #158 and #131.
- Longest-running competitions
Lydia and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #158 and #131.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Lydia #50 in 1998, Sarah #18 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1971–2025
Lydia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 55.
Highest recorded here: Lydia #121 in 1999, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lydia #608, Sarah #66.
Norway · Girls51 shared years, 1962–2025
Lydia held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sarah in 50.
Highest recorded here: Lydia #138 in 2017, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order changed in 1972: Sarah moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #512 and #517; by 1972 that had become #610 and #254.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lydia #142, Sarah #115.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Lydia held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sarah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Lydia #50 in 1998, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Lydia #158, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Lydia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 27.
Highest recorded here: Lydia #73 in 2008, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Lydia #87, 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 | Lydia | 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #142 (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); Lydia does not have one recorded yet.
- Lydia and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Lydia doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Lydia
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #380 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #50 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #158 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