Richard vs Ross
Richard and Rosscompared 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 1985, Richard was ranked #13 and Ross #96 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1983, Richard was ranked #42 and Ross #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Richard was ranked #232 and Ross #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Richard was ranked #619 and Ross #307 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Richard was ranked #311 and Ross #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Richard was ranked #398 and Ross #3254 among boys in England and Wales.
Richard and Ross over time
Richard and Ross appear together in 5 published lists, across 172 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ross 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.
Ross reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Richard in 2. 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 Ross changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #232 and #329.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and Ross averaged 38.2 places apart, ending at #42 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Richard and Ross were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1954 to 1985, ending at #13 and #96.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Richard #62 in 1996, Ross #60 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #62 and #68 in England and Wales · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #398 and #3254.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Richard held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Ross in 22.
Highest recorded here: Richard #20 in 1986, Ross #39 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #232, Ross #329.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1954–1985
Richard held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Ross in 0.
Highest recorded here: Richard #9 in 1965, Ross #25 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Richard #13, Ross #96.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Richard held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ross in 8.
Highest recorded here: Richard #62 in 1996, Ross #60 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Richard #398, Ross #3254.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1952–1983
Richard held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Ross in 0.
Highest recorded here: Richard #16 in 1960, Ross #34 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Richard #42, Ross #86.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Richard held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ross in 22.
Highest recorded here: Richard #77 in 1999, Ross #30 in 1997.
The order changed in 2022: Richard moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #304 and #231; by 2022 that had become #311 and #414.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Richard #311, Ross #414.
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 | Ross |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Germanic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Ross does not have one recorded yet.
- Richard has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ross.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Ross doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Ross
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #36 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1985
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1985).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys