Namewise

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 2025, Craig was ranked #1705 and Richard #431 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 184 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1705 and #431.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 30.

    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, 2025: Craig #1705, Richard #431.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Craig

Pairs where Craig shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Richard

Pairs where Richard shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Craig, Richard
FieldCraigRichard
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.
OriginScottish Gaelic (surname origin)Germanic
Pronunciation/ˈkɹeɪɡ//ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1705 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1705 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Richard

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–1999

    Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1999).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #431 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys