Grace vs Maria
Grace and Mariacompared 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 Maria #97 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Maria #74 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Maria #120 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2016, Grace was ranked #18 and Maria #78 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #25 and Maria #91 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Maria #62 among girls in Norway.
Grace and Maria over time
Grace and Maria appear together in 5 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Maria in 1.
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.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 1992, Grace moved ahead of Maria in Republic of Ireland · Girls — #41 and #37 the year before became #37 and #50.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Grace and Maria averaged 60.0 places apart, ending at #18 and #78.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Grace rose about as far as Maria fell — from #57 and #61 in 1997 to #1 and #97 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Grace and Maria were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 51 years, from 1946 to 2025, ending at #503 and #62.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Maria in 27.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Maria #23 in 1967.
The order changed in 1992: Grace moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #41 and #37; by 1992 that had become #37 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Maria #74.
Norway · Girls51 shared years, 1946–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maria in 51.
Highest recorded here: Grace #321 in 1959, Maria #3 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Maria #62.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Maria #66 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #25, Maria #91.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Maria in 0.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Maria #49 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #1, Maria #97.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1987–2016
Grace held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Maria in 3.
Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Maria #63 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Grace #18, Maria #78.
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 | Maria |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). |
| Origin | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ |
| 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) | Norway · Girls #62 (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 Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin.
- Grace and Maria both have 2 syllables.
- Grace's recorded meaning differs from Maria'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 Maria 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
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls