Namewise

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 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

Niamh and Sarah over time

Niamh and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 120 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 2025, ending at #208 and #131.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Niamh and Sarah averaged 22.1 places apart, ending at #208 and #131.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Niamh and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #131.

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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Niamh held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sarah in 21.

    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, 2025: Niamh #208, Sarah #131.

  • 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.

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 Niamh

Pairs where Niamh 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern 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.

Northern 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 Niamh, Sarah
FieldNiamhSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningTraditionally 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.
OriginIrish (mythological)Biblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈnʲiːvˠ//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNeve, NíamNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #90 (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

  • 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #208 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