Namewise

Richard vs William

Richard and Williamcompared 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2023, Richard was ranked #481 and William #5 among boys in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1999, Richard was ranked #81 and William #17 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1997, Richard was ranked #98 and William #18 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #431 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Richard was ranked #619 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Richard was ranked #311 and William #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Richard was ranked #232 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Richard and William over time

Richard and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 287 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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

William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Richard in 2. 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 1993, William moved ahead of Richard in Norway · Boys — #119 and #128 the year before became #136 and #112.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Richard and William changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2023, ending at #481 and #5.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Richard and William averaged 20.1 places apart, ending at #98 and #18.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 79 shared years in Norway · Boys, William rose about as far as Richard fell — from #219 and #277 in 1945 to #481 and #5 in 2023.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Richard and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #431 and #25.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Richard #77 in 1999, William #26 in 1997.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2023

    Richard held the stronger position in 45 of those years, William in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #80 in 1979, William #1 in 2012.

    The order changed in 1993: William moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #119 and #128; by 1993 that had become #136 and #112.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Richard #481, William #5.

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

    Richard held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 60.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #20 in 1986, William #8 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #232, William #73.

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

    Richard held the stronger position in 24 of those years, William in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #16 in 1960, William #12 in 1952.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Richard #98, William #18.

  • New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 1954–1999

    Richard held the stronger position in 34 of those years, William in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #9 in 1965, William #11 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1999: Richard #81, William #17.

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

    Richard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Richard #62 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Richard #431, William #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022

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

    Highest recorded here: Richard #77 in 1999, William #26 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Richard #311, William #67.

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 William

Pairs where William 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 — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another→

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, William
FieldRichardWilliam
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.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginGermanicGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈɹɪt͡ʃ.əɹd//ˈwɪljəm/
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)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Richard is recorded with a Germanic origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Richard and William both have 2 syllables.
  • Richard's recorded meaning differs from William's — see the table above for each.
  • 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

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 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 recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys