Maggie vs Sarah
Maggie 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, Maggie was ranked #130 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Maggie was ranked #119 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Maggie was ranked #184 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Maggie was ranked #215 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Maggie and Sarah over time
Maggie and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 86 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Maggie in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Maggie 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Maggie and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #184 and #131.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls35 shared years, 1983–2025
Maggie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 35.
Highest recorded here: Maggie #130 in 2024, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maggie #130, Sarah #66.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Maggie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Maggie #171 in 2018, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maggie #184, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2002–2024
Maggie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 20.
Highest recorded here: Maggie #79 in 2023, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Maggie #119, 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 Sarah
Pairs where Sarah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Sarah vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #18 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #131 and #2138.
Sarah · Shannon · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Danielle
In 1996 they stood at #18 and #20 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #131 and #1454.
Sarah · Danielle · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Lorraine
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #47 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #21 and #896.
Sarah · Lorraine · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Sharon
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #39 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2020 they were #30 and #834.
Sarah · Sharon · 55 shared years, 1964–2020 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Maggie | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #94 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 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); Maggie does not have one recorded yet.
- Maggie and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Maggie doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Maggie
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #529 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2002–2024
Highest recorded position: #79 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 2002–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #184 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