Grace vs Nicole
Grace and Nicolecompared 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 Nicole #407 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Nicole #381 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2007, Grace was ranked #8 and Nicole #100 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2002, Grace was ranked #10 and Nicole #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Nicole #638 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #25 and Nicole #328 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Nicole #448 among girls in Norway.
Grace and Nicole over time
Grace and Nicole appear together in 6 published lists, across 195 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Nicole 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.
Nicole reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Grace in none. 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 1998, Grace moved ahead of Nicole in England and Wales · Girls — #42 and #37 the year before became #35 and #36.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Grace and Nicole changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1969 and 2025, ending at #503 and #448.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Grace and Nicole averaged 40.3 places apart, ending at #8 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Grace and Nicole were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 41 years, from 1969 to 2025, ending at #503 and #448.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #36 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2024 they were #25 and #328.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Nicole in 12.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Nicole #15 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Nicole #381.
Norway · Girls41 shared years, 1969–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Nicole in 37.
Highest recorded here: Grace #354 in 2017, Nicole #230 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Nicole #448.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Nicole in 2.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Nicole #36 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #42 and #37; by 1998 that had become #35 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #25, Nicole #328.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Nicole in 6.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Nicole #14 in 1998.
The order changed in 2003: Grace moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #30 and #27; by 2003 that had become #26 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #1, Nicole #407.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1987–2007
Grace held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Nicole in 9.
Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Nicole #5 in 1987.
The order changed in 1996: Grace moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #18 and #14; by 1996 that had become #16 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Grace #8, Nicole #100.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 1988–2002
Grace held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Nicole in 8.
Highest recorded here: Grace #10 in 2002, Nicole #9 in 1989.
The order changed in 1996: Grace moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #28 and #20; by 1996 that had become #29 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Grace #10, Nicole #94.
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 | Nicole |
|---|---|---|
| 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 French feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). |
| Origin | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ | /nɪ.ˈkoʊl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 #381 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Nicole is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Grace has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Nicole.
- Grace's recorded meaning differs from Nicole'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 Nicole 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
Nicole
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2002
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #448 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls