Declining since 2003, #38 for girls today.
Popularity of Grace since 1880
Babies named Grace per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2003, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Grace's real moment was 1890.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 15,227 |
| 1890s | 23,804 |
| 1900s | 26,927 |
| 1910s | 57,973 |
| 1920s | 60,060 |
| 1930s | 31,357 |
| 1940s | 19,370 |
| 1950s | 15,929 |
| 1960s | 11,213 |
| 1970s | 6,096 |
| 1980s | 11,796 |
| 1990s | 39,872 |
| 2000s | 110,720 |
| 2010s | 73,058 |
| 2020s | 31,533 |
Meaning & origin
Grace has managed something few names do: two distinct golden ages more than a century apart. Its all-time peak in federal records came in 1890, when it was a fixture of Victorian nurseries; after a long midcentury retreat it surged back through the 1990s and has spent the years since 2003 in a slow, dignified glide.
The 2025 numbers still put it among the country's favorites, No. 38, with about one in every 313 girls receiving the name. Its strongest states are Maine, New Hampshire, and Alaska, giving the name a distinctly northern accent.
Part of Grace's durability is its double life: it may be the single most reliable middle name in American girl-naming, yet it never reads as filler up front. The Puritan virtue name, the Grace Kelly glamour, and the plain English word all pull in the same direction, brevity with weight.
Grace comes from Latin gratia, favor, goodwill, charm, by way of Old French. As a given name it was popularized by the seventeenth-century Puritans, for whom it referred to divine grace, God's unearned favor, rather than physical gracefulness. The name became a Victorian mainstay on both sides of the Atlantic; in American federal records it peaked in 1890. After a long midcentury fade it came roaring back in the 1990s, lifted by its simplicity and by the enduring glamour of Grace Kelly, and it has spent the twenty-first century comfortably inside the top 50, easing gradually since 2003.
Read more: Grace on Wikipedia
Where Grace is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Grace” around the world
Where Grace lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
60
babies in 2024
Ireland
#4
in 2025
New Zealand
#21
in 2025
Quebec
18
babies in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#11
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Gracie
Famous people named Grace
- Grace Kelly · Academy Award-winning actress who became Princess of Monaco
- Grace Hopper · computer science pioneer and US Navy rear admiral
- Grace Jones · Jamaican-born singer, model, and actress
Sibling names for Grace
Names that share Grace's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Claire, Anna, Faith, Lily, Charlotte, Abigail, Emily, Emma, Hannah, Adelaide, Allie, Ann, Annabelle, April, Aubrey, Audrey, Blanche, Brooke, Callie, Caroline, Chasity, Clare, Constance, Dawn, Eliza, Ellen, Emilee, Eva, Eve, Evie, Genesis, Hope, Isabel, Isabelle, Jennie, Joy, Joyce, June, Kate, Kay, Louise, Mae, Miracle, Molly, Paige, Robin, Sally, Serenity, Summer, Trinity, Abbe, Abbey, Abbie, Abigale, Aileen, Allene, Alyse, Annabel, Annalee, Annalyse, Audree, Audry, Belle, Cassy, Charisma, Charity, Charm, Chastity, Cherish, Chloee, Desire, Dream, Easter, Elle, Fanny, Fay, Felicity, Gay, Halle, Hanah, Hanna, Harmony, Hellen, Joi, Justice, Justina, Laney, Libby, Liberty, Lilliann, Liz, Love, Maddison, Maggie, Maisie, Margot, Maryanne, May, Meg, Melani, Memory, Mercy, Noelle, Patience, Precious, Promise, Prudence, Queen, Robbin, Rosemarie, Temperance, Tess, Treasure, Addy, Aime, Alise, Alys, Amee, Amity, Ammy, Anabell, Annabeth, Annah, Annalynn, Anny, Bell, Blessing, Blessyn, Bliss, Cady, Cammie, Cate, Charis, Charita, Cloe, Emme, Fate, Fayth, Female, Freedom, Gerrie, Glory, Halee, Honesty, Honor, Joye, Jozie, Jubilee, Justyce, Lady, Lilyanne, Lovely, Lu, Madelin, Madelyne, Maryan, Marykate, Maryn, Maycie, Maye, Myracle, Nazareth, Neely, Nicol, Olene, Praise, Temple, Tommi, Torie, Trinitee, Verity, Victory, Adelynne, Adore, Alie, Alis, Allure, Amour, Angell, Beautiful, Beauty, Bethlehem, Blessin, Chapel, Char, Charlea, Chasiti, Clarie, Clarity, Delight, Divinity, Ellanor, Elyce, Emillie, Epiphany, Faithe, Faithlyn, Favor, Favour, Faythe, Forever, Fortune, Francies, Glee, Glori, Happy, Helaina, Janney, Jenne, Joice, Katye, Lilee, Lillee, Lilybeth, Lively, Lovette, Maddelyn, Maebell, Maggi, Matty, Mckennah, Merci, Mercie, Merit, Modesty, Nance, Natalyn, Nelli, Noeli, Noell, Noely, Peace, Pheobe, Pleasant, Pollyanna, Providence, Remedy, Renesmae, Rosaleigh, Rosaly, Rosary, See, Serinity, Sister, Sophy, Spirit, Tamsen, Abrie, Adelaine, Alisse, Allice, Allisen, Allyce, Amazing, Anabeth, Annamary, Annlee, Blessed, Blessen, Blessings, Calvary, Caress, Cathe, Chariti, Charlei, Chassie, Cherity, Christana, Christe, Elain, Emmakate, Emmalie, Envy, Evvie, Gift, Glorie, Glorious, Gloris, Hallelujah, Hanny, Hendy, Holy, Honest, Honour, Jaine, Jessamy, Joyanna, Jullie, Katti, Klair, Konstance, Lace, Lillien, Madaleine, Maddelynn, Madelein, Maecy, Maie, Marymargaret, Mirakle, Noela, Pal, Prudy, Purity, Purpose, Rachyl, Rejoice, Rosely, Sadey, Sharlie, Tabbitha, Tessy, Trinitie, Truly, Virgin, Wonder, Worthy, Annebelle, Edye, Emmajo, Honestii, Ninamarie, Abbagale, Abbee, Agape, Annaleese, Annely, Believe, Bellarae, Blessence, Chairty, Charidy, Charitie, Chassity, Chloeann, Christna, Comfort, Eliz, Elleen, Ellierose, Ellizabeth, Ellyce, Eveleigh, Fayne, Francys, Glorya, Haly, Happiness, Harmoney, Hopelynn, Hopie, Imagine, Innocence, Joyous, Justise, Karess, Kateline, Kaytlen, Kitti, Laetitia, Laurey, Leanor, Libbey, Lissy, Loie, Luxury, Maddeline, Marri, Maty, Molleigh, Morning, Noele, Novice, Prayer, Pretty, Promiss, Prue, Savhanna, Sincerity, Success, Temprance, Temprence, Trinaty, Trinty, Victora
Brothers: Henry, Owen, Samuel, Jack, Luke, Alec, Andy, Angel, Beau, Ben, Bryce, Cary, Chance, Chase, Clarence, Clay, Cole, Dalton, Dave, Drew, Eddie, Elliot, Evan, Grant, Harrison, Hugh, Jess, Lance, Marshall, Max, Maxwell, Noel, Ross, Sam, Spencer, Ted, Tom, Wesley, Allan, Anson, Barret, Beckett, Benny, Bradford, Brice, Brock, Caine, Carlton, Chas, Chistopher, Clark, Clement, Cliff, Cliffton, Clint, Coleman, Creed, Cristopher, Davis, Deacon, Drake, Duke, Early, Ed, Eddy, Eliot, Ford, Fran, Freddy, Freeman, Griffin, Hal, Hanson, Hardy, Harmon, Harris, Infant, Joesph, Justis, Justus, Keaton, Kole, Little, Loyal, Lucky, Mac, Mitch, Ned, Noble, Perry, Quentin, Quenton, Rance, Reed, Robb, Roby, Royce, Russel, Saint, Smith, Stanton, Tad, Titus, Toney, Trent, Truman, Valor, Vance, Vince, Ward, Wes, Wilson, Adrain, Aj, Amen, Benard, Canon, Chan, Charlton, Chip, Chosen, Christ, Christain, Christoper, Cris, Cross, Eliott, Emmit, Geoff, Green, Hale, Haydn, Henery, Jaycob, Jeramiah, Judge, Kallen, Knowledge, Matthews, Mayer, Nathon, Newman, Nicholaus, Nicklaus, Park, Payne, Quin, Rafe, Rexford, Rich, Ritchie, Rowland, Ryne, Tadd, Taft, Thayne, Thompson, Tobey, Tobie, True, Truett, Truth, Wesly, Westen, Willam, Willian, Wisdom, Worth, Zach, Able, Andrews, Andrue, Bless, Boy, Bright, Calob, Carlson, Carrell, Chancy, Charls, Chriss, Christop, Clearance, Constant, Creig, Crist, Dom, Elijha, Emitt, Emmette, Erle, Excell, Fitz, French, Gates, Gehrig, Geroge, Gracin, Harding, Henrry, Herald, Hillery, Hoke, Jedd, Jessey, Jonn, Josha, Keithen, Kennis, Lang, Lawyer, Lord, Loye, Manly, Marck, Martyn, Master, Mat, Mathews, Mattew, Meade, Mesiah, Mickeal, Mister, Moody, Neale, Nichols, Parke, Paschal, Phill, Priest, Prosper, Psalm, Quenten, Rainier, Rise, Roben, Solace, Son, Soul, Spence, Stephens, Terrace, Thom, Tobe, Truce, Trust, Unnamed, Whitt, Winson, Yates, Angelgabriel, Benford, Benn, Bond, Chaise, Chales, Choice, Christyan, Chrles, Clance, Clements, Colen, Council, Doctor, Dorse, Doyl, Durham, Eugune, Finesse, Fread, Garet, Garrette, Gavan, Gentle, Goerge, Hall, Juddson, Khristopher, Kingdavid, Kingdom, Kongmeng, Linc, Marvelous, Masson, Maxwel, Mykell, Needham, Nethaniel, Nicklous, Piers, Psalms, Reason, Righteous, Rolin, Royer, Savior, Sims, Snyder, Trueman, Wake, Wessley, Willliam, Zeal, Benjermin, Charlies, Garrit, Trew, Aaronjames, Argyle, Ascension, Awesome, Bartt, Benett, Benney, Bonner, Brace, Brainard, Charels, Charlis, Chaunce, Christianjames, Clever, Cloyde, Courage, Credence, Crit, Danyl, Dare, Doil, Emett, Fidelis, Fount, Fountain, Geofrey, Geoge, Geral, Godson, Handsome, Harvy, Hendry, Jamas, Jaymason, Jonluke, Joshus, Josia, Lister, Lovel, Mann, Markes, Mattheu, Mays, Mead, Michall, Mikle, Nicoles, Pastor, Pratt, Prophet, Raphel, Richards, Rogen, Saviour, Thoms, Timoth, Triumph, Vane, Welcome, Wing, Wise, Witt, Wyat, Wyett
Names like Grace
Names whose popularity has moved with Grace's over the last 50 years.

