Gregory vs Richard
Gregory 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 1988, Gregory was ranked #76 and Richard #19 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1990, Gregory was ranked #95 and Richard #60 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Gregory was ranked #403 and Richard #204 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gregory was ranked #829 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #1460 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gregory was ranked #727 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Gregory and Richard over time
Gregory and Richard appear together in 4 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Gregory 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.
Gregory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Richard 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1981, Richard moved ahead of Gregory in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #35 and #39 the year before became #37 and #35.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gregory and Richard changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1990, ending at #95 and #60.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gregory and Richard averaged 9.5 places apart, ending at #95 and #60.
- Longest-running competitions
Gregory and Richard were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 39 years, from 1952 to 1990, ending at #95 and #60.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gregory #117 in 1997, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2025
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 60.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #72 in 1967, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gregory #829, Richard #232.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys39 shared years, 1952–1990
Gregory held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Richard in 12.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #7 in 1954, Richard #16 in 1960.
The order changed in 1981: Richard moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #35 and #39; by 1981 that had become #37 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Gregory #95, Richard #60.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1954–1988
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 35.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #16 in 1960, Richard #9 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Gregory #76, Richard #19.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gregory held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gregory #117 in 1997, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gregory #1460, Richard #398.
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 | Gregory | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Latin Gregorius, from Late Greek Gregorios, from 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), itself from 'egeiro' ('to awaken'). Borne by Saint Gregory the Illuminator and Pope Gregory I the Great. | 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 | From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/ | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #829 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Gregory has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Richard.
- Gregory'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
Gregory
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #9 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 recorded1952–1990
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1990).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 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