Namewise

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 2025, Kenneth was ranked #1007 and Richard #431 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 213 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1007 and #431.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    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, 2025: Kenneth #1007, Richard #431.

  • 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.

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 Kenneth

Pairs where Kenneth 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

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 Kenneth, Richard
FieldKennethRichard
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn 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.
OriginScottish GaelicGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈkɛn.əθ//ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1007 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2021

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1979 (recorded 1945–2021).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1007 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