Arjan vs Richard
Arjan 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arjan was ranked #785 and Richard #231 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arjan was ranked #398 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Arjan and Richard over time
Arjan and Richard appear together in 1 published list, across 29 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Arjan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Richard reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Arjan 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arjan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 28.
Highest recorded here: Arjan #398 in 2024, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arjan #398, Richard #398.
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 | Arjan | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #398 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Arjan does not have one recorded yet.
- Arjan and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Arjan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Arjan
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #784 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #398 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #398 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
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 #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys