Namewise

Saoirse vs Sarah

Saoirse 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Saoirse was ranked #17 and Sarah #66 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Saoirse was ranked #37 and Sarah #75 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Saoirse was ranked #402 and Sarah #131 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Saoirse was ranked #196 and Sarah #148 among girls in Scotland.

Saoirse and Sarah over time

Saoirse and Sarah appear together in 3 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Saoirse 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.

Sarah reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Saoirse 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 Northern Ireland · Girls, Saoirse moved into the top 50 at #47 in 2020 as Sarah fell out of it to #60, having been #37 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2020, Saoirse moved ahead of Sarah in Northern Ireland · Girls — #41 and #37 the year before became #47 and #60.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 52 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Saoirse rose about as far as Sarah fell — from #417 and #34 in 1971 to #17 and #66 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Saoirse and Sarah were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #402 and #131.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls52 shared years, 1971–2025

    Saoirse held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Sarah in 42.

    Highest recorded here: Saoirse #12 in 2016, Sarah #1 in 1983.

    The order changed in 2016: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #18 and #14; by 2016 that had become #12 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Saoirse #17, Sarah #66.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Saoirse #307 in 2020, Sarah #18 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Saoirse #402, Sarah #131.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Saoirse held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sarah in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Saoirse #37 in 2023, Sarah #5 in 2002.

    The order changed in 2020: Saoirse moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #41 and #37; by 2020 that had become #47 and #60.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Saoirse #37, 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.

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 Saoirse

Pairs where Saoirse 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

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 Saoirse, Sarah
FieldSaoirseSarah
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningMeans 'freedom' in Irish; first adopted as a given name in the 20th century, reportedly with nationalist/political resonance given the meaning.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.
OriginIrishBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈsˠiːɾˠʃə//ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #17 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Saoirse is recorded with a Irish origin, while Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Saoirse and Sarah both have 2 syllables.
  • Saoirse's recorded meaning differs from Sarah's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Saoirse

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #417 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1971–2025

    Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1971–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #402 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