Mary vs Sara
Mary and Saracompared 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #518 and Sara #43 among girls in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1981, Mary was ranked #100 and Sara #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1991, Mary was ranked #89 and Sara #93 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Mary was ranked #337 and Sara #97 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Mary was ranked #112 and Sara #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Mary was ranked #134 and Sara #161 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Mary was ranked #315 and Sara #164 among girls in Scotland.
Mary and Sara over time
Mary and Sara appear together in 5 published lists, across 201 years of shared records. Sara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Mary in 2.
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.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Sara 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1972, Sara moved ahead of Mary in Norway · Girls — #140 and #206 the year before became #172 and #169.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mary and Sara changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1977 and 1991, ending at #89 and #93.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Mary and Sara averaged 47.3 places apart, ending at #134 and #161.
- Longest-running competitions
Mary and Sara were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 68 years, from 1947 to 2025, ending at #518 and #43.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #122 and #113 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #337 and #97.
List by list
Norway · Girls68 shared years, 1947–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sara in 48.
Highest recorded here: Mary #59 in 1947, Sara #4 in 2013.
The order changed in 1972: Sara moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #140 and #206; by 1972 that had become #172 and #169.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #518, Sara #43.
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Mary held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Sara in 1.
Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1964, Sara #78 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #112, Sara #127.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mary held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sara in 28.
Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Sara #82 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mary #337, Sara #97.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Mary held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Sara in 7.
Highest recorded here: Mary #53 in 1997, Sara #73 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mary #134, Sara #161.
New Zealand · Girls14 shared years, 1977–1991
Mary held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sara in 8.
Highest recorded here: Mary #65 in 1980, Sara #64 in 1988.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Mary #89, Sara #93.
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 | Mary | Sara |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A variant spelling of Sarah, traditionally interpreted as 'lady', 'princess', or 'noblewoman'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈsɛrə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) | Norway · Girls #43 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sara has a recorded origin (Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages); Mary does not have one recorded yet.
- Mary and Sara both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sara; Mary doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #518 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls
Sara
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1947–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1947–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #43 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls