Craig vs Richard
Craig 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 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Richard #37 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Richard #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Richard #219 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Richard #259 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Craig and Richard over time
Craig and Richard appear together in 5 published lists, across 183 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Craig in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one 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, Craig 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Craig and Richard changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1953 and 1991, ending at #97 and #68.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Richard averaged 13.4 places apart, ending at #97 and #68.
- Longest-running competitions
Craig and Richard were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1953 to 1991, ending at #97 and #68.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Richard in 45.
Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Richard #219.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1953–1991
Craig held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Richard in 13.
Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Richard #16 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Richard #68.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1954–1992
Craig held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Richard in 33.
Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Richard #9 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Richard #37.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 29.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Richard #398.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015
Craig held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Richard in 8.
Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order changed in 2008: Richard moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #199 and #276; by 2008 that had become #378 and #207.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Richard #259.
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 | Craig | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag. | 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 | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Craig has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Richard.
- Craig'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, NZ.
How each name got here
Craig
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 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