Denis vs Richard
Denis 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 1954, Denis was ranked #82 and Richard #14 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1955, Denis was ranked #97 and Richard #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Denis was ranked #232 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Denis was ranked #311 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Denis was ranked #434 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Denis was ranked #454 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.
Denis and Richard over time
Denis and Richard appear together in 4 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Denis in 0.
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, Denis 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
Denis and Richard changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1998 and 2022, ending at #311 and #311.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Denis and Richard averaged 23.9 places apart, ending at #232 and #232.
- Longest-running competitions
Denis and Richard were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 52 years, from 1970 to 2023, ending at #454 and #481.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Denis held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Richard in 47.
Highest recorded here: Denis #21 in 1964, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Denis #232, Richard #232.
Norway · Boys52 shared years, 1970–2023
Denis held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Richard in 46.
Highest recorded here: Denis #249 in 1984, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order changed in 2023: Denis moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #469 and #452; by 2023 that had become #454 and #481.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Denis #454, Richard #481.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Denis held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Richard in 22.
Highest recorded here: Denis #262 in 2020, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Denis #434, Richard #398.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 1998–2022
Denis held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Richard in 12.
Highest recorded here: Denis #231 in 2011, Richard #89 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Denis #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 | Denis | 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, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | 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) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Denis does not have one recorded yet.
- Denis and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Denis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Denis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #65 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 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