Sara
Sara was the 198th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,568 babies. Its best year was 1981, when it ranked 26th with 11,359 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 37 places. More babies were named Sara in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Sarah) princess, noblewoman · Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #198 girls, down 15 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,568girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 198111,359 babies
- Total since 1880
- 437,441babies recorded
What does the name Sara mean?
Sara is a spelling of Sarah, pronounced the same way, so it shares Sarah's meaning and origin.
Sarah is the Hebrew name of Abraham's wife, the mother of Isaac. Wiktionary glosses it 'lady, princess'; in Genesis 17:15 God changes her name from Sarai, an older form of similar meaning, to Sarah. Wikipedia notes that the name is used by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, and Wiktionary records Sara as an Arabic given name from the same source. Sara is the usual spelling in many European languages.
שָׂרָה (Biblical Hebrew, “Sarah, princess, noblewoman”)שָׂרָי (Biblical Hebrew, “Sarai, earlier form”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Sara, Sarai, Sally, Sadie, Zara, Sarita.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Sarah', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Hebrew Bible, Genesis 17:15, JPS translation with notes (via Sefaria), Sefaria; verse reference and facts only, not quoted
- Wikipedia, 'Sarah (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Sara popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 1,248 since 1908.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #198 | 1,568 |
| 2020 | #183 | 1,577 |
| 2010 | #119 | 2,636 |
| 2000 | #57 | 5,325 |
| 1990 | #34 | 8,979 |
| 1980 | #27 | 11,148 |
| 1970 | #126 | 3,060 |
| 1960 | #186 | 2,037 |
| 1950 | #147 | 2,059 |
| 1940 | #122 | 2,087 |
| 1930 | #134 | 1,770 |
| 1920 | #111 | 2,364 |
| 1910 | #128 | 633 |
| 1900 | #157 | 375 |
| 1890 | #137 | 262 |
| 1880 | #110 | 165 |
How popular is Sara, counting every spelling?
Sara is a spelling of Sarah, a name family that ranked #60 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #198 for Sara on its own. Together these spellings went to 4,324 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah | 2,710 | #90 | 13,874 |
| Sara | 1,568 | #198 | 7,981 |
| Saara | 13 | #8,257 | 50 |
| Serra | 10 | #9,997 | 44 |
| Cera | 8 | #11,142 | 34 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Sara?
1,568 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Sara (0.43 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Sara born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 5 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Sara.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Sara?
About 351,300 people born in the US named Sara are alive today, with a median age of 40; half are between 29 and 49. That makes Sara mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Sara by state
How common Sara was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (5.0×), New York (3.1×), District of Columbia (1.8×), Maryland (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Idaho, West Virginia, North Dakota.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Sara: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Sara, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Sara
What does Sara mean?
Sara is a spelling of Sarah, which means “princess, noblewoman” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Sara?
Sara was the 198th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,568 babies. Its best year was 1981, when it ranked 26th with 11,359 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 37 places. More babies were named Sara in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Is Sara a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Sara in the US.
Where is Sara most popular?
In 2021–2025, Sara was most common in New Jersey (4.88 per 1,000 girls), followed by New York and District of Columbia.