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 2024, Richard was ranked #398 and Stephen #651 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 255 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 New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1997, ending at #98 and #100.
- 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 2024 they were #398 and #651.
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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Richard held the stronger position in 15 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, 2024: Richard #398, Stephen #651.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Richard | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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 #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
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
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
Stephen
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys