Richard is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Richard means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Richard across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Richard has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Richard is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “strong ruler”. brought to England by the Normans.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 2,587,082 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 8,532 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 8,397 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 317 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 11,345 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 17,664 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Richard per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1946 (58,990/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (1,089/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (558/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1986 (386/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (37/yr).
Richard has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1946, when it ranked #6 nationally (given to 58,990 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Rashard · Richardo · Richerd · Richrd · Ritchard · Richardd · Reshard · Rechard
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