Nicole vs Sarah
Nicole 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 2002, Nicole was ranked #94 and Sarah #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2007, Nicole was ranked #100 and Sarah #33 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #381 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Nicole was ranked #407 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #448 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #412 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nicole was ranked #638 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.
Nicole and Sarah over time
Nicole and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 253 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Nicole 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.
Nicole 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 1979, Sarah moved ahead of Nicole in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #4 and #6 the year before became #8 and #3.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Nicole and Sarah averaged 25.7 places apart, ending at #94 and #5.
- Mirrored each other
Over 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Sarah rose about as far as Nicole fell — from #54 and #85 in 1965 to #94 and #5 in 2002.
- Longest-running competitions
Nicole and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #412 and #131.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Nicole #36 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #16 and #7 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #407 and #75.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 62.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #15 in 1996, Sarah #1 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #381, Sarah #66.
Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1969–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sarah in 55.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #205 in 2003, Sarah #35 in 2007.
The order changed in 1972: Sarah moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #325 and #460; by 1972 that had become #482 and #254.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #448, Sarah #115.
New Zealand · Girls39 shared years, 1969–2007
Nicole held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 39.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #5 in 1987, Sarah #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Nicole #100, Sarah #33.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1965–2002
Nicole held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sarah in 24.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #2 in 1975, Sarah #2 in 1981.
The order changed in 1979: Sarah moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #4 and #6; by 1979 that had become #8 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Nicole #94, Sarah #5.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 30.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #36 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #412, Sarah #131.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Nicole held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 27.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #14 in 1998, Sarah #5 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicole #407, 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 | Nicole | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French 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, via French transmission | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /nɪ.ˈkoʊl/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (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
- Nicole is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Nicole has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Sarah.
- Nicole'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
Nicole
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 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 recorded1964–2002
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #412 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