Grace vs Stephanie
Grace and Stephaniecompared 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 2023, Grace was ranked #3 and Stephanie #391 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Grace was ranked #4 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Grace was ranked #7 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Grace was ranked #13 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #13 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Grace was ranked #25 and Stephanie #811 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2018, Grace was ranked #407 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.
Grace and Stephanie over time
Grace and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. Grace held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Stephanie in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Stephanie 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Girls, Grace moved into the top 50 at #49 in 1998 as Stephanie fell out of it to #75, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1998, Grace moved ahead of Stephanie in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #23 and #18 the year before became #17 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Grace and Stephanie changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1969 and 2018, ending at #407 and #527.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Grace and Stephanie averaged 38.7 places apart, ending at #13 and #73.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Grace rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #118 and #140 in 1964 to #4 and #294 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Grace and Stephanie were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #4 and #294.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #48 in England and Wales · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #25 and #811.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Grace held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Stephanie in 19.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2020, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Grace #4, Stephanie #294.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Grace held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephanie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2006, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Grace #25, Stephanie #811.
Norway · Girls28 shared years, 1969–2018
Grace held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Stephanie in 20.
Highest recorded here: Grace #354 in 2017, Stephanie #178 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Grace #407, Stephanie #527.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1988–2010
Grace held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Stephanie in 10.
Highest recorded here: Grace #10 in 2002, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #23 and #18; by 1998 that had become #17 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Grace #13, Stephanie #73.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2023
Grace held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Stephanie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Grace #1 in 2013, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order changed in 1998: Grace moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #57 and #50; by 1998 that had become #49 and #75.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Grace #3, Stephanie #391.
New Zealand · Girls15 shared years, 1987–2005
Grace held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Stephanie in 9.
Highest recorded here: Grace #5 in 2000, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order changed in 1996: Grace moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #18 and #16; by 1996 that had become #16 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Grace #7, Stephanie #99.
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 | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| 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 feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | English (virtue name), from Latin gratia | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹeɪs/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| 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 #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 70/100 |
| 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 Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Grace has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Stephanie.
- Grace's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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 Stephanie 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
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls