A timeless virtue name that emanates beauty, femininity, and strength, it’s no wonder Grace is so popular as both a middle and first name. Although she’s far from obscure, especially in the middle spot, this traditional moniker is stately and packed with style. Her gentle elegance has been adored for decades. But is she still a stylish choice today, or another fading 2000s name, tarnished from her reputation as a filler middle?
What’s so great about Grace?
We all recognize names like Elizabeth, Catherine, and Margaret as classic beauties. However, Grace provides a more tailored and brief but equally timeless route to the same elegant tone that more elaborate names have. Grace also has the edge when it comes to her roots. Originally derived from the Latin word for Grace, gratia, the name refers to divine grace, checking a religious box as well. This makes Grace perfect for those who want a faith-based name but aren’t interested in calling their little one Obadiah or Hadassah. Not only can parents associate this name with their religious beliefs, they can also interpret this word name as a virtue. The agility, elegance, and poise accompanying the word grace makes a parent’s view of a girl with the name very positive.
Although the full name Grace connotes a respected and composed young lady, the nickname Gracie is more spunky and youthful. Gracie, which peaked a year after Grace, gives girls with this appellation a more playful nickname if they desire or suit it, similar to Lizzy for Elizabeth, Kitty for Katherine, or Maisie for Margaret. Finally, Grace’s popularity hasn’t wavered much since her peak, keeping this simple classic fresh and new. In 2004, Grace peaked in popularity at #14, and has been on the decline since. However, she still holds strong at #24, moving only 10 spots in 14 years. Considering that many names move hundreds of spots in that same time frame, I think it’s safe to say that Grace isn’t a plummeting or dated choice.
I love her elegance, and the way that she’s upheld her popularity! Why hasn’t she risen since 2004?
While Grace holds religious and virtuous semblance for many, her widespread use in the middle slot has earned her a bad reputation for being a go-to filler middle name for girls in the baby naming community. Because Grace is such a well known middle name, parents are less likely to choose her as a first name and more likely to choose her as a middle name. Another possible issue parents have with Grace is popularity. What everyone is searching for in 2020 is a name that’s different, but not weird. Unfortunately, Grace, being the #24 name that she is, fails to meet this criteria. With 84,076 Graces born in the last 10 years, Grace hasn’t gone unnoticed by parents as a first name or a middle name, making her an early cut from the long list for many expecting couples.
Another negative side affect of Grace’s popularity is parents searching for alternatives, one of which is Grayson. Although Grayson places much lower on the charts than Grace in terms of popularity percentages, roughly 2,000 more babies are given the name Grayson than the name Grace. Combine that with the popularity of alternative spelling Greyson and Gray/Grey, and you’ll discover that Grace’s sounds having become far more successful on boys than on girls. The sounds of Grace have wandered far into blue territory, meaning that the Grays- sound is tied to boys rather than girls. If parents read the Grays- sound as masculine, the appeal for Grace as a girl's name may go down.
One final concern I have about the name Grace is the virtue it suggests. If your Grace is clumsy, future classmates may point it out as ironic, as well as a Grace who denies ballet classes in favor of a soccer team. In a way, Grace is a lot to live up to, and if your daughter doesn’t fit the ideas surrounding the virtuous connection (in this case, isn’t particularly graceful), her name draws even more attention to that flaw.
Predictions For Grace:
Although I personally find Grace a tailored, elegant, and strong name for a little girl or full-grown woman, there are challenges to consider. Unfortunately, I think that Grace will lose some of her appeal due to Grayson and the other masculine names that have the same sound, but come across as newer and fresher. However, because of her timeless qualities, I have no doubt that she will rise even higher in another century. And her possibly declining popularity is a great opportunity for those who adore the name, but want something less popular.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
Do you like the name Grace? What’s your favorite virtue name?