Grace vs Laura
Grace and Lauracompared 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, Grace was ranked #1 and Laura #253 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Laura #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2008, Grace was ranked #10 and Laura #71 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Laura #351 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2009, Grace was ranked #14 and Laura #90 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #25 and Laura #258 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Laura #141 among girls in Norway.
Grace and Laura over time
Grace and Laura appear together in 6 published lists, across 210 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Laura in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Laura 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 Northern Ireland · Girls, Grace moved into the top 50 at #26 in 2003 as Laura fell out of it to #51, having been #26 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1999, Grace moved ahead of Laura in England and Wales · Girls — #35 and #25 the year before became #28 and #29.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Grace and Laura changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 2025, ending at #503 and #141.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Grace and Laura averaged 34.2 places apart, ending at #14 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Grace and Laura were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 48 years, from 1946 to 2025, ending at #503 and #141.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Laura in 39.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Laura #2 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Laura #112.
Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1946–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Laura in 45.
Highest recorded here: Grace #354 in 2017, Laura #99 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Laura #141.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Laura in 3.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Laura #17 in 1996.
The order changed in 1999: Grace moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #35 and #25; by 1999 that had become #28 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #25, Laura #258.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Laura in 6.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Laura #13 in 1997.
The order changed in 2003: Grace moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #30 and #26; by 2003 that had become #26 and #51.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #1, Laura #253.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls22 shared years, 1988–2009
Grace held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Laura in 10.
Highest recorded here: Grace #10 in 2002, Laura #9 in 1994.
The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #23 and #15; by 1998 that had become #17 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2009: Grace #14, Laura #90.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1987–2008
Grace held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Laura in 10.
Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Laura #8 in 1995.
The order changed in 1997: Grace moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #16 and #9; by 1997 that had become #12 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Grace #10, Laura #71.
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 | Grace | Laura |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Grace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name). | From Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel' — laurel wreaths honoured victors in ancient Rome. Also the subject of 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch's poems. |
| Origin | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ | /ˈlɔɹ.ə/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Gracie | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #4 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (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 | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Grace is recorded with a English (virtue name), from Latin gratia origin, while Laura is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Grace and Laura both have 2 syllables.
- Grace's recorded meaning differs from Laura'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 Grace a "high" Data Confidence level and Laura a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Laura
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #313 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: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls