Namewise

Mary vs Sarah

Mary 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 1991, Mary was ranked #89 and Sarah #2 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Mary was ranked #99 and Sarah #19 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

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

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Mary was ranked #134 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Mary was ranked #518 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Mary was ranked #329 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Mary was ranked #315 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

Mary and Sarah over time

Mary and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 230 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Mary in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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, Sarah 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 1970, Sarah moved ahead of Mary in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #55 and #67 the year before became #55 and #46.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Mary and Sarah changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1960 and 2025, ending at #518 and #115.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Mary and Sarah averaged 34.0 places apart, ending at #112 and #66.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Mary and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #329 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Mary #118 in 1997, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Mary held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Sarah in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #1 in 1964, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1983: Sarah moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #1 and #2; by 1983 that had become #2 and #1.

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

  • Norway · Girls59 shared years, 1960–2025

    Mary held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Sarah in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #110 in 1960, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1981: Sarah moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #172 and #174; by 1981 that had become #172 and #146.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #518, Sarah #115.

  • New Zealand · Girls33 shared years, 1958–1991

    Mary held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sarah in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #16 in 1958, Sarah #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1965: Sarah moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #26 and #45; by 1965 that had become #38 and #27.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Mary #89, Sarah #2.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Mary #118 in 1997, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mary #329, Sarah #131.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Mary #53 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Mary #134, Sarah #75.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1965–2008

    Mary held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sarah in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Mary #35 in 1966, Sarah #2 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1970: Sarah moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #55 and #67; by 1970 that had become #55 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Mary #99, Sarah #19.

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 Mary

Pairs where Mary 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 moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of 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 Mary, Sarah
FieldMarySarah
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, 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)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Mary does not have one recorded yet.
  • Mary and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #329 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