Grace
Say it: GRAYSS/ɡɹeɪs/
GirlMeans grace, in the Christian sense of God's favour5 letters1 syllable
#4
in Ireland (2025)
265
babies in 2025
#2
best rank (2016)
13,627
babies since 1964
Up 4
10-year rank change
Grace through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 265 | #4 |
| 2024 | 291 | #4 |
| 2023 | 339 | #2 |
| 2022 | 342 | #3 |
| 2021 | 412 | #2 |
| 2020 | 410 | #2 |
| 2019 | 426 | #2 |
| 2018 | 423 | #2 |
| 2017 | 371 | #3 |
| 2016 | 452 | #2 |
| 2015 | 367 | #8 |
| 2014 | 408 | #4 |
| 2013 | 395 | #9 |
| 2012 | 461 | #4 |
| 2011 | 503 | #4 |
| 2010 | 489 | #7 |
| 2009 | 528 | #5 |
| 2008 | 566 | #7 |
| 2007 | 473 | #9 |
| 2006 | 450 | #7 |
| 2005 | 369 | #14 |
| 2004 | 295 | #20 |
| 2003 | 258 | #23 |
| 2002 | 191 | #29 |
| 2001 | 200 | #27 |
| 2000 | 172 | #32 |
| 1999 | 166 | #30 |
| 1998 | 135 | #32 |
| 1997 | 133 | #45 |
| 1996 | 115 | #50 |
| 1995 | 129 | #45 |
| 1994 | 159 | #36 |
| 1993 | 137 | #43 |
| 1992 | 156 | #37 |
| 1991 | 150 | #41 |
| 1990 | 135 | #46 |
| 1989 | 173 | #29 |
| 1988 | 196 | #29 |
| 1987 | 185 | #38 |
| 1986 | 159 | #50 |
| 1985 | 141 | #53 |
| 1984 | 147 | #56 |
| 1983 | 211 | #39 |
| 1982 | 142 | #65 |
| 1981 | 86 | #94 |
| 1980 | 66 | #117 |
| 1979 | 58 | #131 |
| 1978 | 77 | #107 |
| 1977 | 49 | #141 |
| 1976 | 58 | #131 |
| 1975 | 59 | #123 |
| 1974 | 61 | #126 |
| 1973 | 58 | #134 |
| 1972 | 68 | #115 |
| 1971 | 49 | #137 |
| 1970 | 46 | #134 |
| 1969 | 42 | #145 |
| 1968 | 59 | #108 |
| 1967 | 44 | #123 |
| 1966 | 39 | #130 |
| 1965 | 39 | #131 |
| 1964 | 44 | #118 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Grace mean?
Grace, in the Christian sense of God's favour
English, from the word grace, which goes back to Latin gratia.
Say it right
GRAYSS
The story of Grace
Grace is the English word used as a name. It comes from Latin gratia, and in Christian teaching it means the free favour of God. English Puritans took it up as a virtue name in the 1500s, and it has stayed in use ever since.
In Ireland, Grace was long written as the English form of Gráinne, although the two names are not related. The best-known example is Gráinne Ní Mháille, head of the O’Malley family in the west of Ireland in the 1500s, who is remembered in English as Grace O’Malley.
Grace was already given to 44 girls in 1964 and grew steadily from the 1980s. It has been in the top ten every year since 2006, and its biggest year was 2008, when 566 girls were named Grace. On the CSO’s official list, which counts each spelling separately, it was number 1 in 2020 and again in 2023. With all spellings of other names added together it came second in both years. In Northern Ireland it was the most popular girls’ name of all in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Grace (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Gráinne (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Grace (given name)
- Wikipedia: Grace O'Malley
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Gracie
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Grace | 265 | 13,627 |
In Northern Ireland
#1 in 2025 with 127 babies. Best rank #1 (2013); 4,605 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.