UK girl's name
Saarah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "princess" or "female ruler".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Saarah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saarah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1353, with 24 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 62 births.
This profile covers 1,178 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 39% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,187 living people in the UK are called Saarah. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Saarah ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 24 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 62 girls were registered as Saarah.
- • Saarah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #815 in 2012.
- • About 1,187 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saarah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1353
2024
Births in 2024
24
Latest year
Peak year
2007
62 births
Estimated living
1,187
2026
Meaning
What does Saarah mean?
The name Saarah has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, traced back to ancient times. It is a variant spelling of the name Sarah, derived from the Hebrew word "sarah," meaning "princess" or "noblewoman." The name Sarah has been prominent in Jewish tradition and history.
One of the earliest and most notable references to the name Sarah comes from the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. Sarah was the wife of the patriarch Abraham and the mother of Isaac, making her an important figure in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Her story is documented in the book of Genesis.
In the Middle Ages, the name Sarah gained popularity among Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. It was also adopted by some Christian and Muslim families, although with varying spellings and pronunciations.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Sarah was Sarah Breedlove (1867-1919), better known as Madam C.J. Walker. She was an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist, renowned for developing and marketing hair care products specifically for Black women.
Another notable figure was Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), a French actress and sculptor who was one of the most famous performers of her time. She is often referred to as the "Divine Sarah" and is considered a major figure in the history of theater.
In the realm of literature, Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909) was an American novelist and short story writer, best known for her works set in New England and her accurate depictions of regional life and characters.
Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879) was an American writer and editor who played a significant role in the establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday in the United States. She was also an influential advocate for women's rights and education.
Sarah Caldwell (1924-2006) was an American opera conductor and impresario, renowned for her innovative productions and commitment to reviving lesser-known works. She founded the Opera Company of Boston and made significant contributions to the opera world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Saarah over time
The chart below shows babies named Saarah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Saarah, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 24 births in 2024, compared with 62 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saarah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saarah was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1221 | 135 | 5 |
| 2010s | #915 | 404 | 10 |
| 2000s | #623 | 515 | 10 |
| 1990s | #773 | 124 | 4 |
Geography
Where Saarah is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Saarah. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Saarah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #815 in 2012.
Across the UK
Saarah in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#815 in 2012
4 years of NRS records, 16 total registered
Related
Names similar to Saarah
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Saarah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saarah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Saarah was ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales, with 24 births registered.
When was Saarah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 62 babies registered as Saarah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saarah?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "princess" or "female ruler".
How many people are called Saarah in the UK?
A total of 1,178 babies have been registered as Saarah across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 16 more in Scotland.
Where is Saarah most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Saarah ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #815 in 2012. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.