blue ribbon vs honorable mention

blue ribbon

noun
  • The highest honor or prize awarded in some competitions and contests. 

  • A badge worn or displayed to advocate freedom from online censorship. 

  • The badge adopted by a teetotal society. 

  • The emblem of the Order of the Garter. 

adj
  • Very superior in quality, style, or substance. 

  • pertaining to the Liberal Party, its supporters and regions. 

honorable mention

noun
  • An award or recognition given to a person or thing who does not make it to a higher standing but whose performance or entry was noteworthy. 

How often have the words blue ribbon and honorable mention occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )