Elizabeth vs Grace
Elizabeth 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, Elizabeth was ranked #87 and Grace #1 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Grace #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #83 and Grace #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Grace #13 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Elizabeth was ranked #85 and Grace #18 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #62 and Grace #25 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #484 and Grace #459 among girls in Norway.
Elizabeth and Grace over time
Elizabeth and Grace appear together in 6 published lists, across 243 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Elizabeth in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Grace in 1. 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Girls, Grace moved into the top 50 at #32 in 1998 as Elizabeth fell out of it to #59, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1999, Grace moved ahead of Elizabeth in England and Wales · Girls — #30 and #35 the year before became #33 and #28.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elizabeth and Grace changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #76 and #4.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Elizabeth and Grace averaged 28.6 places apart, ending at #62 and #25.
- Longest-running competitions
Elizabeth and Grace were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 38 years, from 1988 to 2025, ending at #83 and #11.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Grace in 32.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #5 in 1969, Grace #1 in 2020.
The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #42 and #45; by 1998 that had become #59 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Grace #4.
Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1946–2024
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Grace in 2.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #173 in 1962, Grace #321 in 1959.
The order changed in 2024: Grace moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #327 and #440; by 2024 that had become #484 and #459.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #484, Grace #459.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1988–2025
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Grace in 29.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #17 in 1989, Grace #7 in 2018.
The order changed in 1997: Grace moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #26 and #29; by 1997 that had become #31 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #83, Grace #11.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1987–2023
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Grace in 32.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #20 in 1989, Grace #5 in 2000.
The order changed in 1992: Grace moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #25 and #43; by 1992 that had become #31 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elizabeth #85, Grace #18.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Grace in 26.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Grace #1 in 2006.
The order changed in 1999: Grace moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #30 and #35; by 1999 that had become #33 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #62, Grace #25.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Elizabeth held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Grace in 27.
Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Grace #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #55 and #57; by 1998 that had become #85 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #87, Grace #1.
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 | Elizabeth | Grace |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. | Grace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name). |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia |
| Pronunciation | /ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/ | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Gracie |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #76 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Grace is recorded with a English (virtue name), from Latin gratia origin.
- Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Grace.
- Elizabeth'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, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Elizabeth 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
Elizabeth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #341 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #83 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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