Philip vs Richard
Philip 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 1992, Philip was ranked #95 and Richard #37 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Philip was ranked #98 and Richard #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Philip was ranked #89 and Richard #481 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #309 and Richard #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Philip was ranked #311 and Richard #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #461 and Richard #398 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #619 and Richard #619 among boys in Scotland.
Philip and Richard over time
Philip and Richard appear together in 6 published lists, across 257 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Philip 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.
Philip reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Richard in 1. 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 1996, Philip moved ahead of Richard in Norway · Boys — #176 and #125 the year before became #119 and #140.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Philip and Richard changed places 7 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2022, ending at #311 and #311.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Philip and Richard averaged 29.2 places apart, ending at #98 and #56.
- Mirrored each other
Over 68 shared years in Norway · Boys, Philip rose about as far as Richard fell — from #341 and #235 in 1948 to #89 and #481 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Philip and Richard were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #98 and #56.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Philip #103 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys68 shared years, 1948–2023
Philip held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Richard in 39.
Highest recorded here: Philip #68 in 2013, Richard #80 in 1979.
The order changed in 1996: Philip moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #176 and #125; by 1996 that had become #119 and #140.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Philip #89, Richard #481.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Richard in 53.
Highest recorded here: Philip #30 in 1978, Richard #20 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #309, Richard #232.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 38.
Highest recorded here: Philip #20 in 1963, Richard #9 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Philip #95, Richard #37.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Richard in 36.
Highest recorded here: Philip #29 in 1958, Richard #16 in 1960.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Philip #98, Richard #56.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philip held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Richard in 28.
Highest recorded here: Philip #103 in 1996, Richard #62 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philip #461, Richard #398.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Philip held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Richard in 5.
Highest recorded here: Philip #51 in 1997, Richard #77 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Philip #311, 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 | Philip | Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /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 | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Philip and Richard both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 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