Jonas vs Richard
Jonas 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, Jonas was ranked #37 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jonas was ranked #468 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2020, Jonas was ranked #304 and Richard #304 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jonas was ranked #691 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jonas was ranked #727 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Jonas and Richard over time
Jonas and Richard appear together in 4 published lists, across 133 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jonas 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.
Richard reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Jonas 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1980, Jonas moved ahead of Richard in Norway · Boys — #101 and #80 the year before became #100 and #106.
- Mirrored each other
Over 75 shared years in Norway · Boys, Jonas rose about as far as Richard fell — from #257 and #219 in 1945 to #37 and #481 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Jonas and Richard were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 75 years, from 1945 to 2023, ending at #37 and #481.
List by list
Norway · Boys75 shared years, 1945–2023
Jonas held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Richard in 31.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #1 in 2006, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order changed in 1980: Jonas moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #101 and #80; by 1980 that had become #100 and #106.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jonas #37, Richard #481.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jonas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #422 in 2018, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jonas #691, Richard #398.
Republic of Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2005–2025
Jonas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #313 in 2016, Richard #108 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jonas #468, Richard #232.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 2009–2020
Jonas held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Richard in 5.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #215 in 2018, Richard #167 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Jonas #304, Richard #304.
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 | Jonas | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with the biblical figure Jonah; some traditions link the underlying Hebrew root to 'dove'. | 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 | Hebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjuː.nas/ | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #49 (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
- Jonas is recorded with a Hebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Jonas and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- Jonas's recorded meaning differs from Richard's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Jonas
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #257 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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