Namewise

Richard vs Tommy

Richard and Tommycompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Richard was ranked #311 and Tommy #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Richard was ranked #619 and Tommy #20 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #232 and Tommy #27 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #431 and Tommy #44 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2023, Richard was ranked #481 and Tommy #490 among boys in Norway.

Richard and Tommy over time

Richard and Tommy appear together in 4 published lists, across 170 years of shared records. Tommy held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Richard in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, Tommy 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 2002, Tommy moved ahead of Richard in England and Wales · Boys — #113 and #116 the year before became #140 and #125.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Richard and Tommy changed places 12 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #481 and #490.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Richard and Tommy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #431 and #44.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2023

    Richard held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Tommy in 65.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #80 in 1979, Tommy #11 in 1976.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Richard #481, Tommy #490.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1980–2025

    Richard held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Tommy in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #20 in 1986, Tommy #21 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2011: Tommy moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #122 and #160; by 2011 that had become #137 and #88.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #232, Tommy #27.

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

    Richard held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Tommy in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #62 in 1996, Tommy #22 in 2020.

    The order changed in 2002: Tommy moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #113 and #116; by 2002 that had become #140 and #125.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #431, Tommy #44.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 1999–2022

    Richard held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Tommy in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #77 in 1999, Tommy #13 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2011: Tommy moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #222 and #267; by 2011 that had become #261 and #149.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Richard #311, Tommy #13.

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 Tommy

Pairs where Tommy 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Richard, Tommy
FieldRichardTommy
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 #27 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Richard has a recorded origin (Germanic); Tommy does not have one recorded yet.
  • Richard and Tommy both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Richard; Tommy 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

Tommy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #268 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 recorded1999–2024

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #44 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys