Namewise

Sarah vs Therese

Sarah and Theresecompared 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 2015, Sarah was ranked #14 and Therese #896 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Sarah was ranked #37 and Therese #424 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1968, Sarah was ranked #70 and Therese #98 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Sarah was ranked #115 and Therese #487 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Sarah was ranked #131 and Therese #5927 among girls in England and Wales.

Sarah and Therese over time

Sarah and Therese appear together in 4 published lists, across 150 years of shared records. Sarah held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Therese in 1.

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

Therese reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sarah 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 1999, Sarah moved ahead of Therese in Norway · Girls — #91 and #71 the year before became #76 and #104.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Sarah and Therese were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 64 years, from 1960 to 2025, ending at #115 and #487.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Sarah #5 in 2002, Therese #206 in 2001.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls64 shared years, 19602025

    Sarah held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Therese in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #35 in 2007, Therese #21 in 1986.

    The order changed in 1999: Sarah moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #91 and #71; by 1999 that had become #76 and #104.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sarah #115, Therese #487.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 19642015

    Sarah held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Therese in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #1 in 1983, Therese #98 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Sarah #14, Therese #896.

  • England and Wales · Girls23 shared years, 19962025

    Sarah held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Therese in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #18 in 1996, Therese #2084 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Sarah #131, Therese #5927.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls12 shared years, 19972019

    Sarah held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Therese in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Sarah #5 in 2002, Therese #206 in 2001.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Sarah #37, Therese #424.

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 Therese

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

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Sarah, Therese
FieldSarahTherese
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
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.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈsɛɹ.ə/
Syllables23
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, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #66 (2025)Norway · Girls #487 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Sarah has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Therese does not have one recorded yet.
  • Sarah has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Therese.
  • A meaning is recorded for Sarah; Therese doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

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

Therese

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #363 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1946–2025

    Highest recorded position: #21 among girls in Norway, in 1986 (recorded 1946–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5927 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls