Grace vs Sophie
Grace and Sophiecompared 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 Sophie #14 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Sophie #6 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #11 and Sophie #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Sophie #17 among girls in Scotland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Grace was ranked #18 and Sophie #14 among girls in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #25 and Sophie #50 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #503 and Sophie #178 among girls in Norway.
Grace and Sophie over time
Grace and Sophie appear together in 6 published lists, across 227 years of shared records. Sophie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Grace 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.
Sophie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Grace in 1. 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 2017, Grace moved ahead of Sophie in England and Wales · Girls — #15 and #14 the year before became #13 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Grace and Sophie changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1987 and 2023, ending at #18 and #14.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Grace and Sophie averaged 12.8 places apart, ending at #25 and #50.
- Longest-running competitions
Grace and Sophie were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 38 years, from 1988 to 2025, ending at #11 and #22.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Girls within 2 years — Grace #354 in 2017, Sophie #106 in 2016.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1967–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Sophie in 22.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Sophie #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Sophie #6.
Norway · Girls39 shared years, 1960–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Sophie in 26.
Highest recorded here: Grace #354 in 2017, Sophie #106 in 2016.
The order changed in 1989: Sophie moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #485 and #542; by 1989 that had become #612 and #297.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #503, Sophie #178.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1988–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Sophie in 26.
Highest recorded here: Grace #7 in 2018, Sophie #5 in 2004.
The order changed in 2015: Grace moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #11 and #10; by 2015 that had become #9 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #11, Sophie #22.
New Zealand · Girls37 shared years, 1987–2023
Grace held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Sophie in 32.
Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Sophie #1 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Grace #18, Sophie #14.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Sophie in 18.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Sophie #1 in 1996.
The order changed in 2017: Grace moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #15 and #14; by 2017 that had become #13 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #25, Sophie #50.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Sophie in 14.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Sophie #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2013: Grace moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #3 and #1; by 2013 that had become #1 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #1, Sophie #14.
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 | Sophie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 form of Sophia, from Ancient Greek 'sophia' meaning 'wisdom'. |
| Origin | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia | Greek, via French transmission |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ | /sɔ.fi/ |
| 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 #6 (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 Sophie is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin.
- Grace and Sophie both have 2 syllables.
- Grace's recorded meaning differs from Sophie'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 Sophie 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
Sophie
Popularity journey
First recorded1960
First recorded at #492 among girls in Norway in 1960 — 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 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls