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BabyNames
Boy name#8 of boy names

Richard

Pronounced R IH1 CH ER0 D (ARPABET)

  • 2 syllables
  • Peaked 1946
  • 145 years in use
  • 1 spelling
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How popular is Richard?

Richard is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 2,586,597 children — the 8th most common boys' name on record.

It has been slipping, down 45% on the previous decade. Its best single year was 1946, when 58,871 children were given it.

Richerd is counted with it here, since the two are pronounced identically.

025,00050,00075,000100,00018901920195019802010
1946Boys: 58,871Girls: 120

Spelling variants

These spellings sound identical to Richard and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.

  • Richerd

Nicknames

Common short forms: Dick, Rick, Ricky, Richie.

Characteristics

  • 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
R IH1 CH ER0 D
Stress pattern:
10
Syllables:
2

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Richard

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Richard

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Richard?
Richard ranks 8th among boys' names in US records, with 2,586,597 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 20,139.
Is Richard a unisex name?
No. Richard is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Richard most popular?
1946, when 58,871 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
What are common nicknames for Richard?
Dick, Rick, Ricky, Richie. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
How else is Richard spelled?
Richerd. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.