Richard vs Steven
Richard and Stevencompared 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 Steven #77 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Richard was ranked #98 and Steven #73 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Richard was ranked #232 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Richard was ranked #619 and Steven #307 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Richard was ranked #311 and Steven #414 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Richard was ranked #398 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Richard was ranked #413 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.
Richard and Steven over time
Richard and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 262 years of shared records. Richard held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Steven in 2.
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.
Richard reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Steven 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 1957, Steven moved ahead of Richard in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #23 and #25 the year before became #23 and #21.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Richard and Steven changed places 6 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #398 and #800.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and Steven averaged 13.9 places apart, ending at #98 and #73.
- Longest-running competitions
Richard and Steven were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1997, ending at #98 and #73.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Richard #62 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Richard held the stronger position in 61 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Richard #20 in 1986, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #232, Steven #829.
Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1946–2017
Richard held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Richard #80 in 1979, Steven #224 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Richard #413, Steven #487.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997
Richard held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Steven in 41.
Highest recorded here: Richard #16 in 1960, Steven #12 in 1961.
The order changed in 1957: Steven moved ahead. In 1956 they stood at #23 and #25; by 1957 that had become #23 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Richard #98, Steven #73.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
Richard held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Steven in 0.
Highest recorded here: Richard #9 in 1965, Steven #15 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Richard #62, Steven #77.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Richard held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Steven in 6.
Highest recorded here: Richard #62 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Richard #398, Steven #800.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2022
Richard held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Steven in 11.
Highest recorded here: Richard #77 in 1999, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order changed in 2022: Richard moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #416 and #365; by 2022 that had become #311 and #414.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Richard #311, Steven #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 | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| 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 #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
- Richard and Steven both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Richard; Steven 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
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
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys