Richard vs Robert
Richard and Robertcompared 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 1999, Richard was ranked #81 and Robert #50 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Richard was ranked #98 and Robert #54 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Richard was ranked #619 and Robert #80 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Richard was ranked #232 and Robert #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Richard was ranked #311 and Robert #115 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Richard was ranked #398 and Robert #151 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Richard was ranked #481 and Robert #392 among boys in Norway.
Richard and Robert over time
Richard and Robert appear together in 6 published lists, across 286 years of shared records. Robert held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Richard in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Robert reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Richard and Robert changed places 6 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1999, ending at #81 and #50.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and Robert averaged 21.9 places apart, ending at #98 and #54.
- Longest-running competitions
Richard and Robert were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1997, ending at #98 and #54.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Richard #62 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2023
Richard held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Robert in 77.
Highest recorded here: Richard #80 in 1979, Robert #25 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Richard #481, Robert #392.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Richard held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Robert in 61.
Highest recorded here: Richard #20 in 1986, Robert #12 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #232, Robert #104.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997
Richard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 46.
Highest recorded here: Richard #16 in 1960, Robert #3 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Richard #98, Robert #54.
New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1954–1999
Richard held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Robert in 25.
Highest recorded here: Richard #9 in 1965, Robert #5 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Richard #81, Robert #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Richard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 29.
Highest recorded here: Richard #62 in 1996, Robert #30 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Richard #398, Robert #151.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Richard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Robert in 24.
Highest recorded here: Richard #77 in 1999, Robert #35 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Richard #311, Robert #115.
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 | Richard | Robert |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ |
| 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #104 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Richard and Robert share a recorded Germanic origin.
- Richard and Robert both have 2 syllables.
- Richard's recorded meaning differs from Robert'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
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
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys