Namewise

Maisie vs Sarah

Maisie 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.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Maisie was ranked #18 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Maisie was ranked #22 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Maisie was ranked #43 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Maisie was ranked #49 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2019, Maisie was ranked #83 and Sarah #100 among girls in New Zealand.

Maisie and Sarah over time

Maisie and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Maisie in 1.

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 3 of those lists, and Maisie 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Girls, Maisie moved into the top 50 at #28 in 2020 as Sarah fell out of it to #60, having been #37 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2006, Maisie moved ahead of Sarah in England and Wales · Girls — #58 and #56 the year before became #53 and #58.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Maisie and Sarah changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 2002 and 2024, ending at #22 and #75.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Maisie and Sarah averaged 52.2 places apart, ending at #43 and #131.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Maisie and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #43 and #131.

List by list

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

    Maisie held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sarah in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Maisie #14 in 2010, Sarah #18 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2006: Maisie moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #58 and #56; by 2006 that had become #53 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Maisie #43, Sarah #131.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls25 shared years, 2000–2025

    Maisie held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sarah in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Maisie #49 in 2024, Sarah #1 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2024: Maisie moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #64 and #62; by 2024 that had become #49 and #61.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Maisie #49, Sarah #66.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 2002–2024

    Maisie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sarah in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Maisie #20 in 2023, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2020: Maisie moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #47 and #37; by 2020 that had become #28 and #60.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Maisie #22, 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 Maisie

Pairs where Maisie 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 took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

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 Maisie, Sarah
FieldMaisieSarah
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
PronunciationNot yet recorded/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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #43 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Maisie does not have one recorded yet.
  • Maisie and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Maisie doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Maisie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #135 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in England and Wales, in 2010 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #43 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