Richard
Say it: RICH-ard/ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əd/
BoyMeans strong ruler7 letters2 syllables
#232
in Ireland (2025)
#229 with spellings combined
20
babies in 2025
#20
best rank (1986)
11,345
babies since 1964
Down 49
10-year rank change
Richard through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #229 |
| 2024 | 19 | #229 |
| 2023 | 21 | #214 |
| 2022 | 25 | #200 |
| 2021 | 25 | #203 |
| 2020 | 22 | #216 |
| 2019 | 24 | #214 |
| 2018 | 28 | #199 |
| 2017 | 45 | #138 |
| 2016 | 41 | #150 |
| 2015 | 33 | #180 |
| 2014 | 44 | #148 |
| 2013 | 38 | #171 |
| 2012 | 56 | #129 |
| 2011 | 51 | #137 |
| 2010 | 61 | #122 |
| 2009 | 50 | #139 |
| 2008 | 60 | #125 |
| 2007 | 62 | #115 |
| 2006 | 46 | #125 |
| 2005 | 53 | #108 |
| 2004 | 52 | #111 |
| 2003 | 55 | #101 |
| 2002 | 66 | #82 |
| 2001 | 78 | #75 |
| 2000 | 64 | #82 |
| 1999 | 91 | #63 |
| 1998 | 68 | #73 |
| 1997 | 112 | #67 |
| 1996 | 128 | #58 |
| 1995 | 123 | #61 |
| 1994 | 160 | #48 |
| 1993 | 190 | #43 |
| 1992 | 189 | #43 |
| 1991 | 237 | #35 |
| 1990 | 282 | #28 |
| 1989 | 298 | #28 |
| 1988 | 293 | #31 |
| 1987 | 303 | #33 |
| 1986 | 386 | #20 |
| 1985 | 329 | #32 |
| 1984 | 314 | #33 |
| 1983 | 348 | #30 |
| 1982 | 372 | #29 |
| 1981 | 360 | #28 |
| 1980 | 365 | #29 |
| 1979 | 385 | #24 |
| 1978 | 342 | #27 |
| 1977 | 348 | #25 |
| 1976 | 352 | #27 |
| 1975 | 345 | #27 |
| 1974 | 333 | #29 |
| 1973 | 344 | #26 |
| 1972 | 289 | #28 |
| 1971 | 328 | #25 |
| 1970 | 335 | #25 |
| 1969 | 297 | #26 |
| 1968 | 293 | #28 |
| 1967 | 314 | #25 |
| 1966 | 298 | #27 |
| 1965 | 354 | #22 |
| 1964 | 301 | #24 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Richard mean?
Strong ruler
Germanic, from words meaning ruler and hard or brave, brought by the Normans through Old French.
Say it right
RICHard
The story of Richard
Richard goes back to a Frankish name built from two old Germanic words, one meaning ruler or king and the other meaning hard, strong or brave. Together they are usually read as “strong ruler”. The name travelled through Old French and reached England and Ireland with the Normans.
It has been a royal name ever since. England had three kings called Richard, including Richard the Lionheart. In Ireland it is tied to Richard de Clare, better known as Strongbow, the Norman lord who arrived in 1170.
Richard was already a common name in Ireland when the CSO records begin, and it stayed in the top 50 until the 1990s. It peaked in 1986, with 386 boys, when it reached number 20. It has become much less common since, and in 2025 it was number 229 once spellings are combined, with 20 babies. In Northern Ireland its best recent year was 1999, at number 77.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Richard (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Richard
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
RichieRichRickDick
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Richard | 20 | 11,345 |
In Northern Ireland
#395 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #77 (1999); 320 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.