Caitlin vs Grace
Caitlin and Gracecompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #119 and Grace #1 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Caitlin was ranked #247 and Grace #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2013, Caitlin was ranked #78 and Grace #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Caitlin was ranked #96 and Grace #13 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #333 and Grace #13 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Caitlin was ranked #610 and Grace #25 among girls in England and Wales.
Caitlin and Grace over time
Caitlin and Grace appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caitlin in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Caitlin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Grace in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2001, Grace moved ahead of Caitlin in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #11 and #12 the year before became #12 and #11.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Caitlin and Grace changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #610 and #25.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Caitlin and Grace averaged 23.9 places apart, ending at #78 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Caitlin and Grace were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 48 years, from 1967 to 2025, ending at #247 and #4.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Caitlin #10 in 1998, Grace #5 in 2000.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls48 shared years, 1967–2025
Caitlin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Grace in 48.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #31 in 2003, Grace #1 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caitlin #247, Grace #4.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Grace in 26.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #21 in 2001, Grace #1 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #610, Grace #25.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caitlin held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Grace in 19.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #2 in 2002, Grace #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 2006: Grace moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #12 and #22; by 2006 that had become #13 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caitlin #119, Grace #1.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls26 shared years, 1988–2013
Caitlin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Grace in 14.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #10 in 1998, Grace #10 in 2002.
The order changed in 2001: Grace moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #11 and #12; by 2001 that had become #12 and #11.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Caitlin #78, Grace #12.
New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1989–2014
Caitlin held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Grace in 20.
Highest recorded here: Caitlin #10 in 1998, Grace #5 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Caitlin #96, Grace #13.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Caitlin | Grace |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Caitlín, itself a cognate of Katherine/Catalina traditions across Europe. | Grace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name). |
| Origin | Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkeɪt.lɪn/ | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Gracie |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #247 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Caitlin is recorded with a Irish, cognate of the wider Katherine family origin, while Grace is recorded with a English (virtue name), from Latin gratia origin.
- Caitlin and Grace both have 2 syllables.
- Caitlin's recorded meaning differs from Grace's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Caitlin a "medium" Data Confidence level and Grace a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Caitlin
Popularity journey
First recorded1967
First recorded at #393 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2002 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #247 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Grace
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #393 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2006 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls