Namewise

Nina vs Sara

Nina and Saracompared 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.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Nina was ranked #195 and Sara #43 among girls in Norway.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Nina was ranked #63 and Sara #161 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Nina was ranked #97 and Sara #164 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Nina was ranked #157 and Sara #110 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Nina was ranked #112 and Sara #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

Nina and Sara over time

Nina and Sara appear together in 4 published lists, across 186 years of shared records. Sara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nina in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Sara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Nina 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 2017, Nina moved ahead of Sara in Northern Ireland · Girls — #159 and #151 the year before became #134 and #190.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Nina rose about as far as Sara fell — from #358 and #75 in 1997 to #63 and #161 in 2024.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Nina and Sara were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #157 and #110.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls74 shared years, 1947–2025

    Nina held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Sara in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Nina #3 in 1964, Sara #4 in 2013.

    The order changed in 1991: Sara moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #35 and #36; by 1991 that had become #35 and #27.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #195, Sara #43.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1967–2025

    Nina held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sara in 47.

    Highest recorded here: Nina #83 in 2020, Sara #78 in 2011.

    The order changed in 2020: Nina moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #119 and #105; by 2020 that had become #83 and #105.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #112, Sara #127.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Nina held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sara in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Nina #137 in 2021, Sara #82 in 2017.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #157, Sara #110.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Nina held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sara in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Nina #63 in 2024, Sara #73 in 2008.

    The order changed in 2017: Nina moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #159 and #151; by 2017 that had become #134 and #190.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Nina #63, Sara #161.

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 Nina

Pairs where Nina shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Sara

Pairs where Sara 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway 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 Nina, Sara
FieldNinaSara
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningA short form of names ending in '-nina', such as Antonina or Giannina; imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century.A variant spelling of Sarah, traditionally interpreted as 'lady', 'princess', or 'noblewoman'.
OriginVarious (Russian/Italian short-form tradition)Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages
Pronunciation/ˈnʲi.nə//ˈsɛrə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025)Norway · Girls #43 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Nina is recorded with a Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) origin, while Sara is recorded with a Hebrew, widely used across Arabic and other languages origin.
  • Nina and Sara both have 2 syllables.
  • Nina's recorded meaning differs from Sara's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Nina

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #132 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1964 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #157 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Sara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1947

    First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1947–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1947–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls