English from Hebrew "princess"; OT Genesis 13:16. The original name was Sarai meaning "contentious"; other variants are Sairi and Saraid.  Sarah is also used in many other European languages.

Sarah is often used in combination, e.g. "Sarah Jane", "Sarah Ann".

The spelling variants Saragh and Sarra occur very rarely in the 1841 Census of Aberdeenshire but Sarrah occurs with significant frequency.

A correspondent [MMN] has sent a note regarding the interchangeability of Sarah and the Gaelic forename Mòr :

"My g-g-grandmother is Sarrah McD- in her 1858 marriage entry and Mór McD- in the church banns. In the birth registration of her children she is Mór for the first child, Sally for the second, and Sarah thereafter."

Another correspondent [TG] has a reference to Marion (and its spelling variants) being synonymous with, or Anglicized as, Sarah in the parish of Kilmorack in Scotland. It would appear that this is because the Gaelic Mór can be Anglicized as either Marion or Sarah. We have consequently classified Marion and Mòr as synonyms of Sarah since the equivalence appears to be widespread, in Scotland at least.

Note: we have found the accent on Mór/Mòr is inconsistent in the literature.

A correspondent in Australia [I] says "Meron is more common on Skye [than Marion] and they are all Sarah (or Sara) when they emigrate or are referred to on a death or marriage certificate of a child."

Another correspondent [MH] has reported an ancestor whose name is variously spelt as Sarray or Sarah, the former spelling reflecting back to the original name of Abraham's wife Sarai in Genesis. A few cases are found in the 1881 [but not 1841] Census of Scotland, apparently originating in Ireland.

A few cases are found in the 1881 Census of Scotland, apparently originating in Ireland where the Gaelic Sorcha is variously Anglicized as Sarah or Sally.