Namewise

Richard vs Stephen

Richard and Stephencompared 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 1997, Richard was ranked #62 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1997, Richard was ranked #98 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2001, Richard was ranked #191 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #232 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Richard was ranked #311 and Stephen #285 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #431 and Stephen #716 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Richard was ranked #619 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.

Richard and Stephen over time

Richard and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 256 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Stephen 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1971, Richard moved ahead of Stephen in New Zealand · Boys — #10 and #7 the year before became #9 and #12.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and Stephen averaged 12.5 places apart, ending at #98 and #100.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Richard and Stephen were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #431 and #716.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Richard #62 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #62 and #60 in England and Wales · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #431 and #716.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Richard held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Stephen in 56.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #20 in 1986, Stephen #4 in 1983.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #232, Stephen #232.

  • Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1946–2001

    Richard held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Stephen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #82 in 1973, Stephen #210 in 1956.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Richard #191, Stephen #522.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997

    Richard held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Stephen in 45.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #16 in 1960, Stephen #3 in 1955.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Richard #98, Stephen #100.

  • New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997

    Richard held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Stephen in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #9 in 1965, Stephen #5 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1971: Richard moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #10 and #7; by 1971 that had become #9 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Richard #62, Stephen #95.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Richard held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephen in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #62 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2011: Richard moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #221 and #217; by 2011 that had become #237 and #255.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #431, Stephen #716.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022

    Richard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Stephen in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #77 in 1999, Stephen #21 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Richard #311, Stephen #285.

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 Richard

Pairs where Richard shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Stephen

Pairs where Stephen 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Richard, Stephen
FieldRichardStephen
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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 Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr.
OriginGermanicGreek
Pronunciation/ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd//ˈstiː.vən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSteven, Stefan, Stephan
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (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 Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Richard and Stephen both have 2 syllables.
  • Richard's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Richard a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

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

Stephen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1997

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #716 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys