Namewise

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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2017, Richard was ranked #413 and Steven #487 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #431 and Steven #976 among boys in England and Wales.

Richard and Steven over time

Richard and Steven appear together in 6 published lists, across 263 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 2025, ending at #431 and #976.

  • 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #431 and #976.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Richard held the stronger position in 24 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, 2025: Richard #431, Steven #976.

  • 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.

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 Steven

Pairs where Steven 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, Steven
FieldRichardSteven
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
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.Not yet recorded
OriginGermanicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
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 #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  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

Steven

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2000

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #976 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys