Kenneth vs Richard
Kenneth 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 1981, Kenneth was ranked #88 and Richard #14 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1977, Kenneth was ranked #99 and Richard #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #785 and Richard #231 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Kenneth was ranked #315 and Richard #276 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Kenneth was ranked #475 and Richard #382 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #968 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #535 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Kenneth and Richard over time
Kenneth and Richard appear together in 5 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kenneth 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.
Kenneth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Richard 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 1955, Richard moved ahead of Kenneth in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #23 and #25 the year before became #21 and #20.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kenneth and Richard changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2021, ending at #475 and #382.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kenneth and Richard averaged 31.5 places apart, ending at #99 and #34.
- Longest-running competitions
Kenneth and Richard were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 76 years, from 1945 to 2021, ending at #475 and #382.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Kenneth #345 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys76 shared years, 1945–2021
Kenneth held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Richard in 15.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #10 in 1979, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Kenneth #475, Richard #382.
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Richard in 58.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #26 in 1972, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #785, Richard #231.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #345 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #968, Richard #398.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1952–1977
Kenneth held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Richard in 23.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #16 in 1952, Richard #16 in 1960.
The order changed in 1955: Richard moved ahead. In 1954 they stood at #23 and #25; by 1955 that had become #21 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Kenneth #99, Richard #34.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1981
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 21.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #28 in 1954, Richard #9 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Kenneth #88, Richard #14.
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 | Kenneth | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed, of Scottish Gaelic origin. Borne by the Scottish king Kenneth mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. | 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 | Scottish Gaelic | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛn.əθ/ | /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 | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) | 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
- Kenneth is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Kenneth and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- Kenneth'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
Kenneth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #303 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2021
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1979 (recorded 1945–2021).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #968 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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