Namewise

Paula vs Sarah

Paula 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 1984, Paula was ranked #93 and Sarah #1 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1976, Paula was ranked #98 and Sarah #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Paula was ranked #718 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Paula was ranked #407 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Paula was ranked #521 and Sarah #115 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Paula was ranked #1584 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

Paula and Sarah over time

Paula and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Paula in 0.

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.

Paula reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Sarah 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Sarah moved into the top 50 at #34 in 1971 as Paula fell out of it to #51, having been #42 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1970, Sarah moved ahead of Paula in New Zealand · Girls — #16 and #17 the year before became #15 and #13.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Paula and Sarah changed places 9 times in Norway · Girls between 1960 and 2025, ending at #521 and #115.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Paula and Sarah averaged 29.7 places apart, ending at #93 and #1.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 64 shared years in Norway · Girls, Sarah rose about as far as Paula fell — from #271 and #490 in 1960 to #521 and #115 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Paula and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1584 and #131.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Paula #549 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls64 shared years, 1960–2025

    Paula held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sarah in 57.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #251 in 1996, Sarah #35 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1972: Sarah moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #457 and #460; by 1972 that had become #403 and #254.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paula #521, Sarah #115.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Paula held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Sarah in 54.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #15 in 1979, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order changed in 1971: Sarah moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #42 and #44; by 1971 that had become #51 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paula #718, Sarah #66.

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

    Paula held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #549 in 1996, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paula #1584, Sarah #131.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1958–1984

    Paula held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Sarah in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #15 in 1970, Sarah #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1970: Sarah moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #16 and #17; by 1970 that had become #15 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Paula #93, Sarah #1.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 1997–2024

    Paula held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #172 in 1997, Sarah #5 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Paula #407, Sarah #75.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls12 shared years, 1965–1976

    Paula held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sarah in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #62 in 1971, Sarah #11 in 1975.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Paula #98, Sarah #11.

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 Paula

Pairs where Paula 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 — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of 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.

Republic of 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 Paula, Sarah
FieldPaulaSarah
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #521 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Paula does not have one recorded yet.
  • Paula and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Paula doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Paula

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #264 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 recorded1954–1984

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1584 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