Sarah Name Meaning, Origin, & Popular Variations

Overview

Sarah is a common, feminine, and timelessly classic girl name.

In the Bible, Sarah is known as Abraham’s wife and the mother of Isaac.

What’s Sarah’s name meaning, and where did it come from? What are the name’s variations, and who are the most famous Sarahs?

We have answers to all your Sarah name meaning questions below.

Information About Sarah

Meaning Of The Name Sarah & Origin

What Does The Biblical Name Sarah Mean?

Princess
Noblewoman

Does Sarah Mean Joy?

Other interpretations indicate “joy,” “happy,” and “lady” as other meanings for Sarah.

What Does The Name Sarah Mean Spiritually?

As the wife of Abraham (patriarch of Judaism), Sarah is also considered the matriarch of the Jewish faith and the Israelites.

What’s The Origin Of Sarah?

Hebrew origin

Pronunciation

SEH-ruh

Is Sarah A Last Name?

Yes. Sarah is a last name that’s more popular in Indonesia and other Asian countries than in the US. (1)

What’s the Gender Of Sarah?

Sarah is primarily female. However, some parents have also occasionally used this as a middle name for boys.

When Was Sarah First Used As A Name?

During biblical times under the Old Testament’s Book of Genesis
Born as Sarai (which means “argumentative” or “my princess”), the name was later changed to Sarah (simply “princess”) before she gave birth to Isaac.

US Stats: Is The Name Sarah Popular?

According to the SSA (Social Security Administration), Sarah ranks within the top 100 most popular baby names in the US. (2)*

*Search for “Sarah” under “Popularity of a Name” on ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

Sarah Popularity Trend Over The Years

Sarah peaked in popularity, ranking within the top 10 popular girl names from 1978 to 2002. (2)

It slipped to the top 20 until 2008, then continued to rank lower but still within the top 100 up to the present day. (2)

Sarah Popularity In US States

Sarah isn’t among the top 5 most popular names in any US state as of 2022. (2)

FAQs About Sarah Name Meaning

Is Sarah A Secular Name?

Yes, Sarah is a common secular name. And it’s also a common Biblical name.

Is Sarah A Patron Saint?

St. Sarah (also spelled St. Sara) is the patron saint of the Romani people (gypsies) and travelers. (3)

What Numbers Are Associated With Sarah?

Eight

Why Is There An ‘H’ In Sarah?

It came with the change of spelling from “Sarai” to “Sarah” in the Bible.

Sarah Name Variations

Sarah Girl Name Variations

Hara (Maori)
Kala (Hawaiian girl name)
Saar (Dutch)
Saara (Finnish)
Saira (Hebrew)
Sara (English)
Sára (Eastern European and Polish name)
Sarai (biblical Hebrew)
Sare (Turkish)
Sareen (Latin)
Sariah (Hebrew)
Sari (Finnish)
Sarika (Hungarian)
Sarita (Spanish girl name)
Sarra (Russian girl name)
Sarrha (biblical Greek girl name)
Sassa (Swedish)
Sora (Uzbek)
Soraya (Persian)
Sorcha (Irish girl name)
Suri (Yiddish)
Tzeitel (Yiddish)
Zara (Hebrew and Arabic girl name)
Zaria (Slavic)

Is Sarah Or Sara More Common?

“Sarah” is more popular than “Sara.” The spelling variant doesn’t even appear on the SSA’s website. (2)

Sarah Unisex & Baby Boy Name Variations

None

What Are Nicknames & Diminutives For Sarah?

Sadie
Sally
Sar
Sari
Saria
Say
Shay
Siri

Names You Can Pair With Sarah

Middle Names For Girls To Pair With Sarah

Elizabeth
Grace
Jane
Marie
Michelle
Rose

Suggested Twin Or Sibling Names

Sarah’s Sister Names

Cassandra
Charlotte
Emma
Hannah
Isabella
Laura
Mira
Olivia
Sharon
Sophia
Soren

Sarah’s Brother Names

Andrew
Cyrus
Daniel
James
Matthew
Scott
Samuel

Rhyming Or Similar Names

Cierra
Farrah
Kyra
Martha
Rebecca
Sandra
Sidra
Sierra

Other Baby Girl Names That Start With S

Samirah
Sana
Sasha
Sierra
Soraya
Susanna

Famous Sarah Celebrities & Figures

Sarah Bernhardt – French actress
Sarah Brightman – English singer
Sarah Jessica Parker – American actress
Sarah Michelle Gellar – American actress
Sarah Palin – American politician
Sarah Silverman – American actress
Sarah Vaughan – American singer

Famous Sara & Other Name Variations

Sara Bareilles – American musician
Sara Lynn Evans – American country music singer
Sara Foster – American actress
Sara Gilbert – American actress

Fictional Characters Named Sarah In Pop Culture & Fiction

Sarah Connor – “Terminator”
Sarah Harding – “Jurassic Park”
Sarah Jane Smith – “Doctor Who”

Celebrities Who Chose Sarah Names For Their Babies

James Taylor
Rod Stewart

Sarah In Songs

“Sarah Jane” by Bob Dylan
“Sarah Smiles” by Panic! at the Disco
“Sarah Yellin’” by 3 Doors Down

Name Lists With “Sarah” On Motherhood Community

You can also find ideas from the top 15 baby name generators.

Other Baby Name Meanings

References

(1) https://forebears.io/surnames/sarah

(2) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

(3) https://christianapostles.com/st-sarah/