Girls · English (from Latin/Greek) · New Testament · classic · N/A — concept name
Grace
/GRAYSS/
χάρις (Greek)
"Favour; blessing; unmerited kindness"
Ephesians 2:8
RoleVirtue name — the central concept of the New Testament
Etymology
From the Latin 'gratia' (favour, thanks) via Old French. The Greek 'charis' appears over 150 times in the New Testament and is the foundation of Paul's theology. It means divine favour that cannot be earned — gift, not wage.
Who they were
Grace may be the single most important word in Christianity. Paul's entire theological project rests on it: 'By grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.' Grace is what distinguishes the Christian message from every system of moral achievement. It means God's favour is a gift, not a reward. The word appears in the opening and closing of nearly every epistle. John's Gospel says of Jesus, 'From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.' As a given name, Grace entered English usage during the Reformation, when the theology of grace was being rediscovered and debated with new intensity. The Puritans embraced it. It has been among the most popular girls' names in the English-speaking world for over a century, and shows no sign of fading. It was the top girls' name in Northern Ireland in 2025. The name carries the entire weight of the gospel in five letters.
Character qualities
- Unmerited favour
- Gift not earned
- Foundation of faith
Key verse
Ephesians 2:8-9
Where they appear
Themes
Variants & related forms
Gracie · Gracia · Grazia · Gratia
Read their story
Grace's story begins in Ephesians.
The full passage is at Ephesians 2:8. Any modern translation will do — the NLT and NIV are the most readable; the ESV and NKJV stay close to the wording the church has used for centuries.
Find a Bible to read it in →