Niamh vs Sarah
Niamh 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 2000, Niamh was ranked #94 and Sarah #9 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #47 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #193 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Sarah over time
Niamh and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niamh in 1.
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 Niamh 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 2013, Niamh moved ahead of Sarah in Northern Ireland · Girls — #29 and #20 the year before became #25 and #29.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Niamh and Sarah changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #193 and #130.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Niamh and Sarah averaged 20.2 places apart, ending at #193 and #130.
- Longest-running competitions
Niamh and Sarah were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #90 and #66.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sarah in 52.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1993, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #90, Sarah #66.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Niamh held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sarah in 20.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #193, Sarah #130.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Niamh held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sarah in 13.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order changed in 2013: Niamh moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #29 and #20; by 2013 that had become #25 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niamh #47, Sarah #75.
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 | Niamh | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. | 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 | Irish (mythological) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Neve, Níam | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Sarah's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Niamh 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
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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