Jacob vs Richard
Jacob 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 1999, Jacob was ranked #10 and Richard #81 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Jacob was ranked #16 and Richard #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Jacob was ranked #19 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Jacob was ranked #60 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Jacob and Richard over time
Jacob and Richard appear together in 6 published lists, across 207 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Richard in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 6 of those lists, and Jacob in none. 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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jacob moved into the top 50 at #44 in 1988 as Richard fell out of it to #56, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1988, Jacob moved ahead of Richard in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #53 and #46 the year before became #44 and #56.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jacob and Richard changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #60 and #481.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Jacob and Richard averaged 42.9 places apart, ending at #10 and #81.
- Mirrored each other
Over 77 shared years in Norway · Boys, Jacob rose about as far as Richard fell — from #273 and #219 in 1945 to #60 and #481 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Jacob and Richard were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 77 years, from 1945 to 2023, ending at #60 and #481.
List by list
Norway · Boys77 shared years, 1945–2023
Jacob held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Richard in 46.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order changed in 1996: Jacob moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #140 and #125; by 1996 that had become #124 and #140.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #60, Richard #481.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Richard in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Richard #28 in 1981.
The order changed in 2006: Jacob moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #109 and #108; by 2006 that had become #113 and #125.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Richard #232.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Richard in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #30, Richard #398.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Jacob held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Richard in 2.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order changed in 2000: Jacob moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #95 and #77; by 2000 that had become #72 and #122.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Jacob #19, Richard #311.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1977–1999
Jacob held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Richard in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #8 in 1998, Richard #11 in 1977.
The order changed in 1991: Jacob moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #37 and #26; by 1991 that had become #33 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Jacob #10, Richard #81.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 1982–1997
Jacob held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Richard in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #16 in 1997, Richard #40 in 1982.
The order changed in 1988: Jacob moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #53 and #46; by 1988 that had become #44 and #56.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Jacob #16, Richard #98.
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 | Jacob | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'. | 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 | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025) | 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
- Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Jacob and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- Jacob'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, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Jacob
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #273 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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