Richard
Boy name · #234 in 2025 · Uniqueness 54/100
Richard is currently the #234 boy name in the United States — 1,505 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #155, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,196 boys born in 2025 was named Richard.
The 145-year story
Richard first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 728 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1946, when 58,870 boys were named Richard — good for #5 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Richard per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Richard against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Richard in class?
Richard scores 54 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Richard is most common
Geography matters for names, and Richard is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Richards were CA (173), TX (162), FL (96), NY (96), PA (61). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Richard
Statistically, parents drawn to Richard tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Edward, Leonard, Ronald, Russell, and Raymond.
EdwardLeonardRonaldRussellRaymondRobertKennethTimothy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Richard | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,505 | #234 |
| 2024 | 1,544 | #233 |
| 2023 | 1,645 | #221 |
| 2022 | 1,688 | #219 |
| 2021 | 1,783 | #216 |
| 2020 | 1,828 | #208 |
| 2019 | 1,990 | #197 |
| 2018 | 2,138 | #187 |
| 2017 | 2,286 | #174 |
| 2016 | 2,525 | #160 |
| 2015 | 2,688 | #155 |
| 2014 | 2,888 | #141 |
| 2013 | 2,800 | #140 |
| 2012 | 3,029 | #123 |
| 2011 | 3,165 | #127 |
| 2010 | 3,238 | #125 |
| 2009 | 3,612 | #114 |
| 2008 | 4,060 | #108 |
| 2007 | 4,425 | #101 |
| 2006 | 4,469 | #99 |
| 2005 | 4,667 | #94 |
| 2004 | 4,848 | #92 |
| 2003 | 5,054 | #86 |
| 2002 | 5,322 | #77 |
| 2001 | 5,771 | #73 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Richard a popular boy name?
Richard ranked #234 among boys in 2025 with 1,505 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #155.
When was the name Richard most popular?
Richard peaked in 1946, when 58,870 American boys received the name (ranked #5 that year). Since 1946 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Richard?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,196 newborn American boys was named Richard. It scores 54/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.