Nelly vs Sarah
Nelly 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2022, Nelly was ranked #418 and Sarah #53 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Nelly was ranked #608 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Nelly was ranked #194 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Nelly was ranked #432 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nelly was ranked #476 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Nelly and Sarah over time
Nelly and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 88 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nelly in 0.
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.
Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Nelly 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Nelly and Sarah were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 45 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #194 and #115.
List by list
Norway · Girls45 shared years, 1960–2025
Nelly held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sarah in 39.
Highest recorded here: Nelly #132 in 2019, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order changed in 1977: Sarah moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #381 and #460; by 1977 that had become #566 and #213.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nelly #194, Sarah #115.
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 2001–2024
Nelly held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 24.
Highest recorded here: Nelly #232 in 2020, Sarah #38 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nelly #432, Sarah #130.
Republic of Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 2007–2025
Nelly held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 19.
Highest recorded here: Nelly #474 in 2018, Sarah #1 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nelly #608, Sarah #66.
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 Sarah
Pairs where Sarah shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Sarah vs Shannon
In 1996 they stood at #18 and #11 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #130 and #1743.
Sarah · Shannon · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Lorraine
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #47 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #21 and #896.
Sarah · Lorraine · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Yvonne
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #45 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2016 they were #16 and #868.
Sarah · Yvonne · 51 shared years, 1964–2016 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Danielle
In 1996 they stood at #18 and #20 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #130 and #934.
Sarah · Danielle · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Nelly | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #194 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Nelly does not have one recorded yet.
- Nelly and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Nelly doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Nelly
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #206 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #132 among girls in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #194 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