Namewise

Sarah vs Sharon

Sarah and Sharoncompared 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 1981, Sarah was ranked #1 and Sharon #78 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1982, Sarah was ranked #2 and Sharon #88 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2010, Sarah was ranked #19 and Sharon #366 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Sarah was ranked #30 and Sharon #834 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2001, Sarah was ranked #49 and Sharon #512 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Sarah was ranked #131 and Sharon #2138 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Sarah was ranked #148 and Sharon #638 among girls in Scotland.

Sarah and Sharon over time

Sarah and Sharon appear together in 5 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Sharon 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.

Sharon reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 moved ahead of the other

    In 1974, Sarah moved ahead of Sharon in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #24 and #16 the year before became #14 and #21.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Sarah and Sharon averaged 41.8 places apart, ending at #1 and #78.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Sarah and Sharon were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #131 and #2138.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Sarah #18 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1964 they stood at #46 and #39 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2020 they were #30 and #834.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls55 shared years, 1964–2020

    Sarah held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Sharon in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #1 in 1983, Sharon #5 in 1970.

    The order changed in 1977: Sarah moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #17 and #12; by 1977 that had become #12 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Sarah #30, Sharon #834.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #18 in 1996, Sharon #539 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sarah #131, Sharon #2138.

  • New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1958–1981

    Sarah held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sharon in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #1 in 1974, Sharon #5 in 1964.

    The order changed in 1970: Sarah moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #17 and #13; by 1970 that had become #13 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 1981: Sarah #1, Sharon #78.

  • Norway · Girls22 shared years, 1962–2001

    Sarah held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Sharon in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #49 in 2001, Sharon #354 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Sarah #49, Sharon #512.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls18 shared years, 1965–1982

    Sarah held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Sharon in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #2 in 1981, Sharon #2 in 1965.

    The order changed in 1974: Sarah moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #24 and #16; by 1974 that had become #14 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 1982: Sarah #2, Sharon #88.

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 Sarah

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

Other comparisons involving Sharon

Pairs where Sharon 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

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 Sarah, Sharon
FieldSarahSharon
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom 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.From a Hebrew place name — a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel, also referenced in the biblical 'rose of Sharon' flowering plant. Used as a feminine given name in English since the 1920s.
OriginBiblical HebrewBiblical Hebrew (place name origin)
Pronunciation/ˈsɛɹ.ə//ˈʃæɹ.ən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-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 #66 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #2138 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Sharon is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
  • Sarah and Sharon both have 2 syllables.
  • Sarah's recorded meaning differs from Sharon'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

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

Sharon

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #47 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1982

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1965 (recorded 1952–1982).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2138 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls