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 2024, Grace was ranked #25 and Lucy #123 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 218 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 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Grace and Lucy averaged 28.8 places apart, ending at #25 and #123.
- Longest-running competitions
Grace and Lucy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 38 years, from 1988 to 2025, ending at #11 and #32.
- 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 20 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, 2024: Grace #25, Lucy #123.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Grace | Lucy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Grace, 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. |
| Origin | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ | /ˈluː.si/ |
| 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 #16 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 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
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
Lucy
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2016 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls