Damien vs Richard
Damien 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 1993, Damien was ranked #94 and Richard #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Damien was ranked #468 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Damien was ranked #414 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Damien was ranked #747 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Damien was ranked #619 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Damien and Richard over time
Damien and Richard appear together in 4 published lists, across 135 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Damien in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Richard reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Damien 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Damien and Richard averaged 21.1 places apart, ending at #94 and #79.
- Longest-running competitions
Damien and Richard were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #468 and #232.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Damien #134 in 1999, Richard #77 in 1999.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Damien held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 62.
Highest recorded here: Damien #34 in 1982, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Damien #468, Richard #232.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Damien held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 29.
Highest recorded here: Damien #280 in 2003, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Damien #747, Richard #398.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1969–1993
Damien held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Richard in 24.
Highest recorded here: Damien #34 in 1974, Richard #21 in 1969.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1993: Damien #94, Richard #79.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 1997–2022
Damien held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 18.
Highest recorded here: Damien #134 in 1999, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Damien #414, 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 | Damien | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #468 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Damien does not have one recorded yet.
- Damien and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Damien doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Damien
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #75 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 recorded1969–1993
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1969–1993).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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