Richard
Boy name · English · German · Spanish
Meaningbrave ruler · Germanic
- US rank
- #234
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #5 in 1947
1,505 babies were named Richard in the US in 2025. It has dropped 26 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Richard you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Richard
Richard Wagner
German composer (1813–1883)
Choose Richard and your child shares a first name with Richard Wagner, a German composer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Richard, like who?” Richard Wagner's Wikipedia article is available in 206 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Richard Wagner on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Franz Hanfstaengl, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,135 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Richard, 1,505 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Richard would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryRichard has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Richards, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1947, when it ranked #5. Today it's #234, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowRichard was 3.7× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 309 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 1,135.
- TrendRichard has slipped 26 places over the last five years and now sits at #234. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedRichard is most popular in Vermont, where it ranks #48, followed by Washington, D.C. (#82) and Delaware (#101). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Germanic, Richard means “brave ruler”. Our records link it to English, German and Spanish roots.
About the name Richard
Richard is a boy name of English, German and Spanish origin meaning “brave ruler”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-ard”. US birth records list Richard for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1947, when it ranked #5 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #234, with 1,505 babies.
Origin:English namesGerman namesSpanish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,395 | 156 boys |
| 1890s | 6,628 | 151 boys |
| 1900s | 7,817 | 128 boys |
| 1910s | 10,620 | 94 boys |
| 1920s | 20,181 | 50 boys |
| 1930s | 31,290 | 32 boys |
| 1940s | 32,187 | 31 boys |
| 1950s | 26,607 | 38 boys |
| 1960s | 19,378 | 52 boys |
| 1970s | 12,209 | 82 boys |
| 1980s | 8,408 | 119 boys |
| 1990s | 4,844 | 206 boys |
| 2000s | 2,440 | 410 boys |
| 2010s | 1,419 | 705 boys |
| 2020s | 964 | 1,037 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Richard
What does the name Richard mean?
Richard means “brave ruler” in Germanic.
What is the origin of the name Richard?
Richard has English, German, Spanish roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Richard a boy or girl name?
Richard is a boy name.
How popular is the name Richard?
Richard ranked #234 for US boys in 2025, given to 1,505 babies. Its best year was 1947 (#5).