Natalie vs Sarah
Natalie 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 2014, Natalie was ranked #93 and Sarah #44 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Natalie was ranked #350 and Sarah #62 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #381 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Natalie was ranked #84 and Sarah #91 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #269 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Natalie was ranked #503 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Natalie was ranked #541 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Natalie and Sarah over time
Natalie and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 257 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Natalie in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Natalie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sarah in 2. 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 1977, Sarah moved ahead of Natalie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #9 and #11 the year before became #10 and #7.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 48 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Natalie and Sarah averaged 21.8 places apart, ending at #93 and #44.
- Longest-running competitions
Natalie and Sarah were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 48 years, from 1965 to 2014, ending at #93 and #44.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Natalie #42 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 62.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #76 in 1992, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #381, Sarah #66.
Norway · Girls54 shared years, 1968–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 54.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #69 in 2005, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #269, Sarah #115.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls48 shared years, 1965–2014
Natalie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sarah in 37.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #9 in 1976, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order changed in 1977: Sarah moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #9 and #11; by 1977 that had become #10 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Natalie #93, Sarah #44.
New Zealand · Girls42 shared years, 1965–2014
Natalie held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sarah in 40.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #16 in 1984, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 2013: Natalie moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #88 and #42; by 2013 that had become #71 and #75.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Natalie #84, Sarah #91.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 29.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #42 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Natalie #503, Sarah #130.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 22.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #66 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Natalie #350, Sarah #62.
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 | Natalie | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Roman names Natalis/Natalia, from Latin 'natalis' ('relating to birth, birthday') — connecting the name to Christmas Day as Jesus's traditional birthday. | 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 | Latin | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnæt.ə.li/ | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 | Norway · Girls #269 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Natalie is recorded with a Latin origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Natalie has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Natalie'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, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Natalie
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2014
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1964–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #269 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #115 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls