Namewise

Grace vs Rebecca

Grace and Rebeccacompared 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 Rebecca #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2011, Grace was ranked #6 and Rebecca #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2008, Grace was ranked #12 and Rebecca #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Rebecca #431 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #27 and Rebecca #413 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Rebecca #485 among girls in Norway.

Grace and Rebecca over time

Grace and Rebecca appear together in 6 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Rebecca in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Rebecca 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 2003, Grace moved ahead of Rebecca in England and Wales · Girls — #19 and #18 the year before became #14 and #25.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Grace and Rebecca changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1965 and 2025, ending at #503 and #485.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Grace and Rebecca averaged 43.4 places apart, ending at #12 and #94.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Grace and Rebecca were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #27 and #413.

List by list

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

    Grace held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Rebecca in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Rebecca #7 in 1995.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Rebecca #141.

  • Norway · Girls41 shared years, 1965–2025

    Grace held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rebecca in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #354 in 2017, Rebecca #67 in 1993.

    The order changed in 2023: Rebecca moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #420 and #458; by 2023 that had become #440 and #426.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Rebecca #485.

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

    Grace held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Rebecca in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Rebecca #8 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2003: Grace moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #19 and #18; by 2003 that had become #14 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #27, Rebecca #413.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Grace held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Rebecca in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Rebecca #2 in 1999.

    The order changed in 2006: Grace moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #22 and #17; by 2006 that had become #2 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #1, Rebecca #337.

  • New Zealand · Girls25 shared years, 1987–2011

    Grace held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Rebecca in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Rebecca #4 in 1988.

    The order changed in 1997: Grace moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #16 and #10; by 1997 that had become #12 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Grace #6, Rebecca #85.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls21 shared years, 1988–2008

    Grace held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rebecca in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Grace #10 in 2002, Rebecca #3 in 1991.

    The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #23 and #9; by 1998 that had become #17 and #18.

    Most recent shared year, 2008: Grace #12, Rebecca #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.

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 Rebecca

Pairs where Rebecca 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, Rebecca
FieldGraceRebecca
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningGrace, favour (the English virtue word, used directly as a name).Traditionally associated with concepts of 'joining', 'tying', or a 'team/yoke' — a binding or connecting sense, from a Semitic root about fastening things together.
OriginEnglish (virtue name), from Latin gratiaBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka
Pronunciation/ˈɡɹeɪs//rəˈbɛkə/
Syllables23
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 #141 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
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 Rebecca is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka origin.
  • Grace has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Rebecca.
  • Grace's recorded meaning differs from Rebecca'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 Rebecca 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

Rebecca

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1955

    First recorded at #440 among girls in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2008

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2008).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls