Namewise

Megan vs Sarah

Megan 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2004, Megan was ranked #91 and Sarah #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2005, Megan was ranked #97 and Sarah #23 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Megan was ranked #266 and Sarah #53 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Megan was ranked #352 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Megan was ranked #816 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Megan was ranked #384 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

Megan and Sarah over time

Megan and Sarah appear together in 5 published lists, across 186 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Megan 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, Megan 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 2018, Sarah moved ahead of Megan in England and Wales · Girls — #100 and #103 the year before became #126 and #103.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Megan and Sarah averaged 33.6 places apart, ending at #91 and #11.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Sarah rose about as far as Megan fell — from #52 and #85 in 1965 to #91 and #11 in 2004.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Megan and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #816 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Megan #3 in 1998, Sarah #18 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #10 and #18 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #816 and #131.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls47 shared years, 1976–2025

    Megan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 47.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #8 in 1998, Sarah #1 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #352, Sarah #66.

  • New Zealand · Girls44 shared years, 1962–2005

    Megan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #18 in 1974, Sarah #1 in 1974.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Megan #97, Sarah #23.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1965–2004

    Megan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sarah in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #20 in 1987, Sarah #2 in 1981.

    The order changed in 1972: Sarah moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #38 and #39; by 1972 that had become #43 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Megan #91, Sarah #11.

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

    Megan held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Sarah in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #3 in 1998, Sarah #18 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2018: Sarah moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #100 and #103; by 2018 that had become #126 and #103.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Megan #816, Sarah #131.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022

    Megan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sarah in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Megan #4 in 2000, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2003: Sarah moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #4 and #5; by 2003 that had become #9 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Megan #266, Sarah #53.

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 Megan

Pairs where Megan 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales 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 Megan, Sarah
FieldMeganSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became independently used; only regularly used outside Wales since the mid-20th century.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.
OriginWelsh, diminutive of MargaretBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈmɛɡ.an//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesMeghan, Meagan, MaeganNot 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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #352 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Megan is recorded with a Welsh, diminutive of Margaret origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Megan and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • Megan's recorded meaning differs from Sarah's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Megan a "high" Data Confidence level and Sarah a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Megan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1958

    First recorded at #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 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