Anthony vs Richard
Anthony 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Anthony was ranked #41 and Richard #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1999, Anthony was ranked #60 and Richard #81 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Anthony was ranked #147 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Anthony was ranked #406 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Richard over time
Anthony and Richard appear together in 6 published lists, across 271 years of shared records. Anthony held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Richard in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Richard in 1. 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 1997, Anthony moved ahead of Richard in England and Wales · Boys — #65 and #62 the year before became #68 and #71.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Richard changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #147 and #311.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Richard averaged 19.6 places apart, ending at #41 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Richard were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1997, ending at #41 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys64 shared years, 1946–2023
Anthony held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Richard in 60.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order changed in 2023: Anthony moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #421 and #382; by 2023 that had become #406 and #481.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anthony #406, Richard #481.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Richard in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Richard #232.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997
Anthony held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Richard in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Richard #16 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Anthony #41, Richard #98.
New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1954–1999
Anthony held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Richard in 38.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Richard #9 in 1965.
The order changed in 1994: Anthony moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #42 and #41; by 1994 that had become #44 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Anthony #60, Richard #81.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Richard in 1.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Anthony moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #65 and #62; by 1997 that had become #68 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Richard #398.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Anthony held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Richard in 2.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Anthony #147, 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 | Anthony | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown Etruscan origin. Later incorrectly associated with Greek 'anthos' ('flower'), which led to the addition of the 'h' to this spelling in the 17th century. | 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 | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Richard.
- Anthony'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
Anthony
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #355 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2021
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1952–2021).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #451 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys