Namewise

Grace vs Louise

Grace and Louisecompared 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, Grace was ranked #2 and Louise #296 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Louise #213 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Louise #476 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1994, Grace was ranked #25 and Louise #100 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #27 and Louise #816 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1995, Grace was ranked #28 and Louise #100 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Louise #59 among girls in Norway.

Grace and Louise over time

Grace and Louise appear together in 5 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Louise in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Louise reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Grace held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Louise in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Louise #5 in 1980.

    The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #45 and #43; by 1998 that had become #32 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Louise #213.

  • Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1946–2025

    Grace held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Louise in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #321 in 1959, Louise #59 in 2025.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Louise #59.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Grace held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Louise in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Louise #44 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #27, Louise #816.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2017

    Grace held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Louise in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Louise #33 in 1997.

    The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #57 and #33; by 1998 that had become #49 and #50.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Grace #2, Louise #296.

  • New Zealand · Girls8 shared years, 1987–1994

    Grace held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Louise in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #24 in 1992, Louise #58 in 1987.

    The order changed in 1989: Grace moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #83 and #73; by 1989 that had become #66 and #84.

    Most recent shared year, 1994: Grace #25, Louise #100.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Grace

Pairs where Grace shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Louise

Pairs where Louise shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Grace, Louise
FieldGraceLouise
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningGrace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name).The French feminine form of Louis, from Germanic elements 'hlud' (famous) and 'wig' (warrior) — 'famous warrior'.
OriginEnglish (virtue name), from Latin gratiaGermanic, via French transmission
Pronunciation/ˈɡɹeɪs//lu.ˈiz/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesGracieNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #4 (2025)Norway · Girls #59 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Grace is recorded with a English (virtue name), from Latin gratia origin, while Louise is recorded with a Germanic, via French transmission origin.
  • Grace and Louise both have 2 syllables.
  • Grace's recorded meaning differs from Louise'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 Louise 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2006 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #27 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Louise

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #816 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls