Namewise

Grace vs Lucy

Grace and Lucycompared 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 Lucy #38 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Lucy #16 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #11 and Lucy #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Lucy #28 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2023, Grace was ranked #18 and Lucy #21 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #27 and Lucy #143 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Lucy #296 among girls in Norway.

Grace and Lucy over time

Grace and Lucy appear together in 6 published lists, across 219 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Lucy in 1.

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.

Lucy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Grace in 2. 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 2005, Grace moved ahead of Lucy in England and Wales · Girls — #11 and #7 the year before became #7 and #8.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Grace and Lucy changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1987 and 2023, ending at #18 and #21.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Grace and Lucy averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #27 and #143.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Grace and Lucy were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #27 and #143.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Grace #354 in 2017, Lucy #212 in 2018.

List by list

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

    Grace held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Lucy in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Lucy #3 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Lucy #16.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1988–2025

    Grace held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Lucy in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #7 in 2018, Lucy #20 in 2012.

    The order changed in 1994: Grace moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #41 and #40; by 1994 that had become #44 and #49.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #11, Lucy #32.

  • New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1987–2023

    Grace held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Lucy in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Lucy #12 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Grace #18, Lucy #21.

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

    Grace held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lucy in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Lucy #7 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2005: Grace moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #11 and #7; by 2005 that had become #7 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #27, Lucy #143.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Grace held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Lucy in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Lucy #4 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2006: Grace moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #22 and #12; by 2006 that had become #2 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #1, Lucy #38.

  • Norway · Girls24 shared years, 1964–2025

    Grace held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Lucy in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #354 in 2017, Lucy #212 in 2018.

    The order changed in 2008: Lucy moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #556 and #569; by 2008 that had become #467 and #449.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Lucy #296.

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 Lucy

Pairs where Lucy 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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, Lucy
FieldGraceLucy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningGrace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name).The English form of Lucia, from Latin 'lux' meaning 'light'. In use since the Middle Ages.
OriginEnglish (virtue name), from Latin gratiaLatin
Pronunciation/ˈɡɹeɪs//ˈluː.si/
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)Republic of Ireland · Girls #16 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
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 Lucy is recorded with a Latin origin.
  • Grace and Lucy both have 2 syllables.
  • Grace's recorded meaning differs from Lucy'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 Lucy 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

Lucy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #523 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #143 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls