Fiona vs Grace
Fiona 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 2017, Fiona was ranked #432 and Grace #2 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Fiona was ranked #325 and Grace #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Grace #13 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #1406 and Grace #25 among girls in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1987, Fiona was ranked #92 and Grace #70 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Fiona was ranked #399 and Grace #503 among girls in Norway.
Fiona and Grace over time
Fiona and Grace appear together in 4 published lists, across 131 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Fiona reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 1997, Grace moved ahead of Fiona in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #47 and #50 the year before became #50 and #45.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Fiona and Grace changed places 4 times in Norway · Girls between 1963 and 2025, ending at #399 and #503.
- Longest-running competitions
Fiona and Grace were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #325 and #4.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Fiona #207 in 2015, Grace #354 in 2017.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #66 and #57 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2017 they were #432 and #2.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Fiona held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Grace in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Grace #1 in 2020.
The order changed in 1997: Grace moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50; by 1997 that had become #50 and #45.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #325, Grace #4.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Grace in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Grace #1 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #1406, Grace #25.
Norway · Girls22 shared years, 1963–2025
Fiona held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Grace in 4.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #207 in 2015, Grace #354 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #399, Grace #503.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Grace in 18.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Grace #1 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Fiona #432, Grace #2.
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 | Fiona | Grace |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The feminine form of Fionn. Popularized by Scottish poet James Macpherson in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was spelled 'Fióna'. | Grace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name). |
| Origin | Scottish, feminine of Fionn | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia |
| Pronunciation | /fi.ˈoʊ.nə/ | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 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 #325 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Fiona is recorded with a Scottish, feminine of Fionn origin, while Grace is recorded with a English (virtue name), from Latin gratia origin.
- Fiona and Grace both have 2 syllables.
- Fiona'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 Fiona 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
Fiona
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #87 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #399 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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