Brendan vs Richard
Brendan 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1991, Brendan was ranked #94 and Richard #35 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Brendan was ranked #49 and Richard #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Brendan was ranked #402 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Brendan was ranked #311 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Brendan was ranked #1613 and Richard #431 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #619 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Brendan and Richard over time
Brendan and Richard appear together in 5 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Brendan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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 3 of those lists, Brendan in 2. 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 1982, Brendan moved ahead of Richard in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #40 and #35 the year before became #34 and #40.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Brendan and Richard changed places 11 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #311 and #311.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brendan and Richard averaged 31.8 places apart, ending at #49 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Brendan and Richard were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1613 and #431.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brendan #157 in 1998, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Brendan held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Richard in 38.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #16 in 1965, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order changed in 2021: Richard moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #198 and #219; by 2021 that had become #296 and #204.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #402, Richard #232.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1965–1997
Brendan held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Richard in 17.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #25 in 1985, Richard #18 in 1968.
The order changed in 1982: Brendan moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #40 and #35; by 1982 that had become #34 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Brendan #49, Richard #98.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 30.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #157 in 1998, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #1613, Richard #431.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1966–1991
Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 26.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #53 in 1982, Richard #9 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Brendan #94, Richard #35.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Brendan held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Richard in 3.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #73 in 1997, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Brendan #311, 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 | Brendan | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Brendan does not have one recorded yet.
- Brendan and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Brendan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Brendan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1613 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