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 2024, Paula was ranked #1491 and Sarah #130 among girls in England and Wales.
Paula and Sarah over time
Paula and Sarah appear together in 6 published lists, across 206 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 Norway · Girls for 64 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #521 and #115.
- 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Paula held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sarah in 29.
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, 2024: Paula #1491, Sarah #130.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Paula | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɛɹ.ə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #521 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1954–1984
Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #521 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #115 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls