UK name, mostly girls
Gracious
Courteous, kind, and compassionate in character and conduct.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 6 boys.
Gracious is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Gracious popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3598, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 6 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2006 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Gracious is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Gracious. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Gracious ranked #3598 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 6 girls were registered as Gracious.
- • Gracious is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Gracious as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 73.9% of Gracious registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3598
2023
Births in 2023
6
Latest year
Peak year
2023
6 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Gracious
In England and Wales birth records, Gracious has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 26.1% of registrations are for boys and 73.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Gracious registered for boys
- Ranked #4,991 in 2023
- 3 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2021 (3 births)
Gracious registered for girls
- Ranked #3,598 in 2023
- 6 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (6 births)
Meaning
What does Gracious mean?
The name Gracious is derived from the Latin word "gratia," which means "grace" or "favor." The name has its roots in Roman culture and was used as a virtue name to describe someone who exhibited qualities of kindness, compassion, and elegance.
Gracious was a popular name among early Christian communities, as it embodied the grace and mercy of God. In the Bible, the name appears in the New Testament, particularly in the epistles of Paul, where it is used to describe the unmerited favor and kindness of God towards humanity.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Gracious can be found in the writings of St. Augustine of Hippo, a renowned philosopher and theologian from the 4th-5th century AD. He used the name to describe the concept of divine grace, which he believed was essential for salvation.
During the Middle Ages, the name Gracious was popular among the nobility and upper classes, as it was seen as a desirable quality for a person of high social standing. In literature, the name appears in works such as the medieval romance "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," where it is used to describe the courteous and gracious behavior of the knights.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Gracious. One example is Gracious, a 7th-century bishop of Paris, who is remembered for his charitable works and dedication to the poor. Another is Gracious Mendes, a 16th-century composer from Portugal, known for his contributions to the development of Renaissance music.
In the 18th century, Gracious Baugier, a French philosopher and writer, gained recognition for his works on ethics and morality. Gracious Burtin, a 19th-century French engraver and art historian, is also noteworthy for his contributions to the study of art and antiquities.
Lastly, Gracious Bakanja, a 20th-century Congolese politician and activist, played a significant role in the struggle for independence and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Gracious over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Gracious in England and Wales, from 2006 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Gracious, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gracious by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Gracious was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3598 | 6 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5235 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4157 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Gracious
- Grace 79,208
- Georgia 48,838
- Gracie 18,387
- Georgina 15,599
- Gabriella 10,902
- Gemma 8,350
- Gabrielle 7,154
- Georgie 4,883
- Gabriela 3,300
- Genevieve 2,393
- Gracie-Mae 1,727
- Greta 1,283
FAQ
Gracious: questions and answers
How popular is the name Gracious in the UK right now?
In 2023, Gracious was ranked #3598 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Gracious most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 6 babies registered as Gracious in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Gracious?
Courteous, kind, and compassionate in character and conduct.
How many people are called Gracious in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Gracious across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.