[quote=@shylarah]
[@DracarysBitch] barons might be in the sense of trade barons?  I don't know the answer to your queations, but I know ayz wanted something simple.  The patriarchy is a diffwrent nation/state than Hourglass is, so their ranks as well as their social structure are likely different.  I'm sure the hourglass nobles know who outranks whom, but my understanding is that for the purpose of simplicity the actual titles and forms of address are simply lord and lady. (And if you actually use something else you're probably seen as snobbish)
[/quote]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by trade barons? the closest thing I could find is from the star wars universe (wherein they're officials of the of the trade federation underneath the trade viceroy), but in nobility, that's not a title as far am I'm aware.  

As for the difference in rank, I ask because lord and lady are not titles themselves, they're forms of address for other titles. Well, "lady" has at times been used as title init of itself, but it's complicated, and mainly exists for stupid "women are less important" reasons, so that can basically be disregarded. Anyway, back to the general stuff, for example, Robert Crawley from Downton Abbey. His title is "Earl of Grantham", but his style and form of address is "Lord Grantham". A living example would be Maurice Roche, 6th Baron Fermoy. First Cousin of Diana, Princess of Wales, his title is "6th Baron Fermoy" or just "Baron Fermoy", but his style/form of address is "Lord Fermoy". From Baron all the way up to Marquess, they're all addressed as Lord/Lady. Noblewomen ranked lower than a Baron are still addressed as "Lady", except of the knight/chevalier rank, who are addressed as "Dame", which can also sometimes double as title.