Namewise

Jakob vs Richard

Jakob 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2023, Jakob was ranked #21 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Jakob was ranked #556 and Richard #219 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Jakob was ranked #414 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jakob was ranked #1124 and Richard #431 among boys in England and Wales.

Jakob and Richard over time

Jakob and Richard appear together in 3 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jakob in 1.

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, and Jakob 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.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 79 shared years in Norway · Boys, Jakob rose about as far as Richard fell — from #150 and #219 in 1945 to #21 and #481 in 2023.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jakob and Richard were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1124 and #431.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Jakob #317 in 2001, Richard #75 in 2001.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2023

    Jakob held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Richard in 39.

    Highest recorded here: Jakob #6 in 2019, Richard #80 in 1979.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jakob #21, Richard #481.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Jakob #287 in 2000, Richard #62 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jakob #1124, Richard #431.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2001–2020

    Jakob held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Jakob #317 in 2001, Richard #75 in 2001.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Jakob #556, Richard #219.

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 Jakob

Pairs where Jakob 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Jakob, Richard
FieldJakobRichard
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA form of Jacob (or James) used across Germanic and Scandinavian languages, from the Hebrew Ya'akov.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.
OriginHebrew, via German/Scandinavian transmissionGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈjɑː.kɔp//ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #9 (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

  • Jakob is recorded with a Hebrew, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
  • Jakob and Richard both have 2 syllables.
  • Jakob's recorded meaning differs from Richard's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Jakob

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #150 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Norway, in 2019 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1124 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