Nicola vs Sarah
Nicola 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 1998, Nicola was ranked #93 and Sarah #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1996, Nicola was ranked #91 and Sarah #3 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Nicola was ranked #397 and Sarah #60 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Nicola was ranked #898 and Sarah #61 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Nicola was ranked #4201 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nicola was ranked #790 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Nicola and Sarah over time
Nicola and Sarah appear together in 4 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Nicola 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 2 of those lists, Nicola 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 1974, Sarah moved ahead of Nicola in New Zealand · Girls — #4 and #6 the year before became #4 and #1.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Nicola and Sarah averaged 22.3 places apart, ending at #91 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Nicola and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #4201 and #131.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Nicola #87 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2024
Nicola held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 59.
Highest recorded here: Nicola #17 in 1986, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicola #898, Sarah #61.
New Zealand · Girls39 shared years, 1958–1996
Nicola held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Sarah in 23.
Highest recorded here: Nicola #2 in 1975, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 1974: Sarah moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #4 and #6; by 1974 that had become #4 and #1.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Nicola #91, Sarah #3.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Nicola held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Nicola #87 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicola #4201, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2020
Nicola held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 21.
Highest recorded here: Nicola #72 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Nicola #397, Sarah #60.
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 | Nicola | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). | 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 | Greek, feminine form | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnɪk.ə.lə/ | /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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nicola is recorded with a Greek, feminine form origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Nicola has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Nicola'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.
How each name got here
Nicola
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1996
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #131 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls