Richard
How to say it: RICH-urd · /ˈrɪtʃərd/
From Old Germanic Ricohard meaning 'powerful ruler', from ric (power) + hard (strong, brave).
Richard was the 254th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,505 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1940s, its births are down about 44% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #299 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #254 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,505 |
| Share of births | 1 in 2,202 |
| Peak decade | 1940s |
| Change over 10 years | −44% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #299 |
| In France, 2025 | #889 among boys’ names, 30 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Dominant through the 1940s, Richard stood among the top choices for boys then. Now far below that high point, it is expected to keep slipping in the next few years.
What goes with it
Crisp and forceful to the ear, Richard feels strong with royal history. Rich serves as a short form and Robert matches in style.
Middle names that flow with Richard →
Nicknames
- Rich
- Rick
- Ricky
- Dick
Honouring a Richard in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Richard is about 1 in 92.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #889 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #431. Ireland: #240.
Famous people named Richard
- Richard Wagner (1813–1883)German composer
- Richard Dawkins (born 1941)English ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author
- Richard Nixon (1913–1994)President of the United States from 1969 to 1974
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Traditional nickname 'Dick' for Richard now carries a vulgar meaning; use of Dick as a nickname has collapsed
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