Richard

Richard - A very unique male name

Richard appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #21. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Richard and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Richard? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Richard. The baby boy name Richard was given to 1,496 baby boys in 2025, ranking #232 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 980 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Richard peaked in popularity 96 years ago in 1930 on position 5.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Richard, 1-5?

Richard is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Richard is currently topping the baby name charts in Vermont at position #56 - and is the least popular in Oregon at position #393.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Richard is where you live.

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Richard origin and meaning

Germanic, via Norman French

"Brave ruler" — from ric, "power," and hard, "brave, hardy"

Richard came to England with the Normans and was carried by three English kings, including Richard the Lionheart. In America it was a top name for decades, peaking in 1946 with nearly 59,000 births in one year, and it has fallen steadily into grandfather territory since.

Attested etymology

Richard is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Richard, pop culture references for the name Richard and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Richard

We've found the following names that sound similar to Richard, sorted by popularity.

Ricardo / Rashard / Richardo / Riccardo / Richardson / Record / Reshard / Ricard / Recardo / Ricahrd /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Richard

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Richard a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Richard?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

RICH-urd · /ˈrɪtʃərd/

Around the world

• Richard (French) — Used as-is in French, pronounced ree-SHAR
• Ricardo (Spanish) — Spanish and Portuguese form
• Riccardo (Italian) — Italian form
• Richard (German) — Used as-is in German, pronounced RIKH-art

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: RickRichDickRicky

Famous bearers

• Richard Feynman — Nobel Prize-winning physicist and beloved science communicator (1918–1988) Historical
• Richard Nixon — Thirty-seventh president of the United States (1913–1994) Historical
• Richard Gere — Actor known for Pretty Woman and Chicago (b. 1949) Contemporary

Style

ClassicRoyal

Why parents choose it

Parents who choose Richard today are usually honoring family — it is a name with centuries of substance, even if fashion has moved on for now.

Worth knowing

• The traditional nickname Dick is now a liability and most families avoid it, using Rick or Rich instead.
• Its 1946 peak makes it read as a grandfather name to many.