Which is more timeless, Sarah or Emily?

[hcarter8]

I like nonsense names that are easy to spell and pronounce but I am struggling to find a truly timeless name.

my partner likes Emily, I know Emily was very popular 20 years ago so could have the possibility of sounding dated on a baby today even though it’s only number 28 on the ONS and even though Sarah was very popular in the 70s it feels more classic to me for some reason. On the ONS Sarah had never fallen out of the top 100 until 2021 but Emily did for about 60 years and then became popular in the 90s and 2000s.

thoughts?

I have a teenage Sarah! I think it’s quite rare now, even though it’s a classic- it’s a family name for us.

I’m a Sarah too. I was born in the 70’s and there were loads of us at school. So unless all the Sarah’s born in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are all dead now there will be loads of us about.
It was an extremely popular nane

I am a Sarah and know of one little Sarah born the year my youngest was born so she’s a toddler now. There are two Emily’s in my daughter’s year 3 class. I’d say Emily is more ‘now’ but Sarah would be quite unique for a baby name…just saying 😉

it’s served me very well even if I was one of three Sarah’s in my class at secondary school 😂. I am an 80s baby so it’s a given.

A relative of mine is Emma and I think that is especially beautiful and timeless. Other timeless options…Charlotte, Lily, Beatrice, Lucy, Sophia, Isabelle, Molly, Darcy.

Only knew one Sarah and everyone called her Sally!!! Prefer Emily.

Sally is a nickname for Sarah, but is now used in its own right.

The point is that Emily was definitely an out of fashion unpopular name in the 70s and 80s, not just a rarely used one. Like Olive or something until Olivia appeared (presumably because of ONJ) and rehabilitated Olive as well. But Sarah has always been around.

Sarah is much nicer. I don't like Emily - it's a bit wet. Emma is better.

@SwedishEdith , Emily was a 'granny name in a good way' in the 1970s and 80s. Olivia was 'posh' back then. Sarah was everywhere.

Sarah is lovely.

I think it’s more popular for millennials. I know loads!!

Also the person who said it can’t be shortened, about half of the many Sarah’s I knew at school went by Saz!!

Neither is timeless.

Emily was definitely old-fashioned when I was young (I had a doll in an Edwardian-type outfit and chose the name Emily deliberately to fit with that). Sarah was a pretty standard one-in-each-class kind of name. Much less popular now, though each of my sons (born 99 and 03) had a Sarah in his school friendship group.

It really doesn't matter. None of the kids at school will know that your child has the same name as thousands of 30-somethings.

I knew children called Leigh, Bethany, Abigail, Tricia, Annette, Roisin, Miriam, Anu, Kenneth, Roderick. (As well as all of us who were Julie, Susan, Andrew, Peter, Matthew, Donna, Rachel, Sharon, Tracy, Lorraine, Simon, Robert, Phil, Chris) I don't recall an unusual name ever being an issue.

Sarah. 1) Because it's Biblical so have passed the test of time more than Emily has, and 2) if you are not from an English-speaking country, there is nothing timeless or classic about the name Emily. Sarah, on the other hand, is a very known and common name across many different cultures.

I have an Emily who is 16, stunning (not being bias but she is!) and it’s a name that’ll suit through the life course ❤️

Apologies to all the Sarahs out there, but I think it’s the fullest name in the world (other than Dawn). I especially dislike Sarah Jane.

Emily is a prettier name, but I know an Emily who I can’t stand, so I wouldn’t use it.

I know that’s no help at all!

Definitely Emily! Have heard of two baby Emily's born in recent years....haven't heard of any Sarah's and all those I know are adults so feels dated to me.

I’m a Sarah and both are equally timeless to me. But if you chose Sarah you’ll be able to sing ‘Sarah’ by Thin Lizzy to her. My parents sang it to me a lot when I was growing up & it made me feel very loved.
The lyrics start with -
When you came in my life you changed my world
My Sarah
Everything seemed so right my baby girl
My Sarah
You are all I want to know
You hold my heart so don't let go
You are all I need to live
My love to you I'll give

My dad quoted it in his father of the bride speech ❤️

open.spotify.com/track/6z71JA8AEcnMxWGgDyWa6D?si=KGD5mY5WQdi-uMspa6xDKA&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Asarah%2Bth

Both done to death. There are names that are timeless and less common. 4 Emily’s in DDs year group.

There's also "None could be rarer, or fairer, than Sarah, my lassie from Lancashire!"

Emily

I would consider Emily more ‘timeless’ it goes back a long way and it’s still in the top 10 I believe?

Sarah seemed to peak maybe 30 years ago. I do think it’s a lovely name though and there probably aren’t many baby Sarahs around.

@doreeen I would consider Emily more ‘timeless’ it goes back a long way and it’s still in the top 10 I believe? Not since 2018.

You can't know many 50 year olds I know about 20 Sarah's 😁. Nice name though and less wet than Emily.

I like Emily.

I also think we’re coming full circle and it’s becoming trendy to give your child a classic name. I work with someone who has just had a baby girl and named her Claire.

Sarah is timeless. She was the wife of Abraham.

Emily is such a wishy washy name. Its old but not timeless.

My name is Sarah - not sure I’m allowed to say it here - and I’m slightly embarrassed. Emily all the way