Richard
Boy name · #234 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Richard? In official American birth records, Richard has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Richard is currently the #234 boy name in the United States — 1,505 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #155, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,196 boys born in 2025 was named Richard.
The 145-year story
Richard first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 728 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1946, when 58,870 boys were named Richard — good for #5 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Richard per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Richard against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Richard in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Richard is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Richard is most common
Geography matters for names, and Richard is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Richard is most common in DC (4 per 1,000), DE (3.4 per 1,000), ID (2.4 per 1,000), NM (1.7 per 1,000), CT (1.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Richard is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Richard
Richard carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Richard family went to about 1,905 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #192, versus #234 for Richard alone.
Names like Richard
Statistically, parents drawn to Richard tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Edward, Leonard, Ronald, Russell, and Raymond.
EdwardLeonardRonaldRussellRaymondRobertKennethTimothy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Richard | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,505 | #234 |
| 2024 | 1,544 | #233 |
| 2023 | 1,645 | #221 |
| 2022 | 1,688 | #219 |
| 2021 | 1,783 | #216 |
| 2020 | 1,828 | #208 |
| 2019 | 1,990 | #197 |
| 2018 | 2,138 | #187 |
| 2017 | 2,286 | #174 |
| 2016 | 2,525 | #160 |
| 2015 | 2,688 | #155 |
| 2014 | 2,888 | #141 |
| 2013 | 2,800 | #140 |
| 2012 | 3,029 | #123 |
| 2011 | 3,165 | #127 |
| 2010 | 3,238 | #125 |
| 2009 | 3,612 | #114 |
| 2008 | 4,060 | #108 |
| 2007 | 4,425 | #101 |
| 2006 | 4,469 | #99 |
| 2005 | 4,667 | #94 |
| 2004 | 4,848 | #92 |
| 2003 | 5,054 | #86 |
| 2002 | 5,322 | #77 |
| 2001 | 5,771 | #73 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Richard?
In official American birth records, the name Richard first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 728 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Richard a popular boy name?
Richard ranked #234 among boys in 2025 with 1,505 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #155.
When was the name Richard most popular?
Richard peaked in 1946, when 58,870 American boys received the name (ranked #5 that year). Since 1946 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Richard?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,196 newborn American boys was named Richard. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.