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Grace
Pronounced GRAYS /ɡreɪs/High
Meaning: Grace, elegance; divine favorHigh
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Grace derives from the Latin gratia, meaning favor, charm, and thanks. In Christian theology it denotes divine grace — God's freely given love and protection — which made it a natural choice among devout English speakers from the Reformation onward. The name was adopted enthusiastically in Britain and America during the 17th-century Puritan era, when virtue names flourished.
In the English-speaking world Grace rose steadily through the 19th century and never fully fell out of fashion. It re-entered the U.S. top 20 in the 1990s, buoyed partly by nostalgia for the Hollywood era of Grace Kelly, and has remained a perennial favorite. The name's brevity, elegance, and spiritual resonance keep it perpetually appealing.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Grace Kelly (1929–1982)American actress who became Princess of Monaco.
- ★Grace Hopper (1906–1992)American computer scientist and U.S. Navy rear admiral, pioneered computer programming.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Grace mean?
Grace is a Latin virtue name meaning divine favor, elegance, and beauty — drawn from the Latin gratia.
How do you pronounce Grace?
It's said GRAYS /ɡreɪs/ — one syllable, rhyming with 'face'.
Is Grace a boy or girl name?
Grace is used almost exclusively as a girls' name in the U.S. and worldwide.
How popular is Grace?
Grace has ranked in the U.S. top 25 girls' names for most of the past two decades, a consistent classic.