Oisin vs Richard
Oisin 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Oisin was ranked #7 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Oisin was ranked #262 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Oisin was ranked #234 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Oisin was ranked #517 and Richard #431 among boys in England and Wales.
Oisin and Richard over time
Oisin and Richard appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Oisin 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 3 of those lists, and Oisin 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 1998, Oisin moved ahead of Richard in Northern Ireland · Boys — #81 and #81 the year before became #58 and #89.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Oisin and Richard changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #232.
- Longest-running competitions
Oisin and Richard were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #517 and #431.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #81 and #81 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 0 places apart; by 2022 they were #7 and #311.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Oisin held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Richard in 37.
Highest recorded here: Oisin #8 in 2016, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oisin #262, Richard #232.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Oisin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 30.
Highest recorded here: Oisin #433 in 2021, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Oisin #517, Richard #431.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Oisin held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Richard in 0.
Highest recorded here: Oisin #7 in 2022, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order changed in 1998: Oisin moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #81 and #81; by 1998 that had become #58 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Oisin #7, Richard #311.
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 | Oisin | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'little deer', combining an Old Irish word for deer or stag with a diminutive ending. | 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 | Irish | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /oʊˈʃiːn/ | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #262 (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
- Oisin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Oisin and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- Oisin'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.
How each name got here
Oisin
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #517 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
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 #431 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys