Adam vs Richard
Adam and Richardcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Adam was ranked #15 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #20 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #26 and Richard #431 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Adam was ranked #26 and Richard #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Adam was ranked #31 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #42 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1999, Adam was ranked #47 and Richard #81 among boys in New Zealand.
Adam and Richard over time
Adam and Richard appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Richard in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Richard reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Adam in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1971, Adam moved ahead of Richard in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #23 and #21 the year before became #18 and #21.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Adam and Richard changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1952 and 2023, ending at #15 and #481.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Adam and Richard averaged 34.1 places apart, ending at #26 and #98.
- Mirrored each other
Over 71 shared years in Norway · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Richard fell — from #380 and #208 in 1952 to #15 and #481 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Adam and Richard were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #26 and #431.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Adam #16 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys71 shared years, 1952–2023
Adam held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Richard in 43.
Highest recorded here: Adam #15 in 2023, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order changed in 1999: Adam moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #213 and #191; by 1999 that had become #168 and #201.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Adam #15, Richard #481.
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Adam held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Richard in 26.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order changed in 1991: Adam moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #44 and #28; by 1991 that had become #31 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #20, Richard #232.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1961–1997
Adam held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Richard in 10.
Highest recorded here: Adam #7 in 1979, Richard #18 in 1964.
The order changed in 1971: Adam moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #23 and #21; by 1971 that had become #18 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Adam #26, Richard #98.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1965–1999
Adam held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Richard in 23.
Highest recorded here: Adam #13 in 1986, Richard #9 in 1965.
The order changed in 1991: Adam moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #31 and #26; by 1991 that had become #32 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Adam #47, Richard #81.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Adam held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Richard in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #26, Richard #431.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Adam held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Richard in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Adam #31, Richard #311.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Adam | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally understood as the Hebrew word for 'man', with a wordplay connection in Genesis to 'ground/earth', since Adam is described as formed from earth. | From Old German elements 'rih' (ruler, king) and 'hart' (hard, firm, brave, hardy) — 'brave ruler'. Introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈædəm/ | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Adam is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Adam and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- Adam's recorded meaning differs from Richard's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Adam
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #380 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #26 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Richard
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #219 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #431 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys