Baby Name Popularity Profile

Richard

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Richard.

✦ Powerful ruler 🌍 German royal traditional
National Rank (2025) #234
All-Time Peak Rank #5 Achieved 1930
Total U.S. Births 2,577,552 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Male Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1950s 58,870 births in 1946
💡 The Richard Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Powerful ruler
Language Origin German
Origin Type single
Derived from the Old High German elements 'ric' (ruler, power) and 'hard' (brave, hardy, strong).
Common Nicknames
Rich Rick Ricky Dick
Pronunciation: RICH-erd
Themes & Categories
royal traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Richard

According to SSA data, Richard achieved its highest historical rank of #5 in 1930. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1946 with 58,870 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 44.0%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Richard across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -44.0% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 58,870 births in 1946
Years in Top 100 127 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 7,010
1890s: 7,572
1900s: 10,675
1910s: 74,603
1920s: 222,599
1930s: 330,502
1940s: 477,476
1950s: 535,461
1960s: 373,907
1970s: 202,804
1980s: 154,745
1990s: 94,876
2000s: 48,582
2010s: 26,747
2020s: 9,993

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ric-hard
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with R, a letter used by only 4.7% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Richard.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Maine
Top States Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Maine #261 19,926 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont #56 7,738 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #255 109,550 1946 55.6% Decline
Rhode Island Unranked 15,841 1946 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire #201 13,472 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #162 41,805 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 4,703 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #208 186,045 1946 18.7% Decline
New York #207 264,703 1946 17.9% Decline
Ohio #235 156,777 1947 1.8% Decline
District of Columbia #94 14,942 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware #111 6,819 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #305 43,973 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #330 23,811 1947 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #203 89,539 1946 23.8% Decline
Wisconsin #233 63,821 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Montana #155 9,739 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #304 119,356 1952 40.7% Decline
South Dakota #296 10,584 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #387 56,363 1946 42.3% Decline
Illinois #274 150,614 1946 39.7% Decline
North Dakota Unranked 9,859 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #365 68,331 1953 38.2% Decline
Hawaii Unranked 8,795 1947 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia #225 26,449 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #294 28,247 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #167 38,880 1952 15.9% Decline
Oregon #393 23,152 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #124 10,015 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #227 56,348 1953 3.0% Decline
Washington #298 40,418 1952 13.3% Decline
Alaska #137 3,431 1953 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico #191 12,971 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #317 27,181 1952 32.3% Decline
California #216 225,668 1953 18.4% Decline
Utah #346 17,028 1947 46.2% Decline
Virginia #186 46,992 1954 3.9% Decline
Oklahoma #276 26,870 1953 28.0% Decline
South Carolina #177 26,583 1953 13.5% Decline
Kentucky #332 30,883 1954 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #248 21,066 1959 23.3% Decline
Florida #224 58,806 1957 16.5% Decline
North Carolina #284 46,287 1954 +7.3% Growth
Nevada #356 5,267 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #251 28,595 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #358 33,643 1953 35.1% Decline
Arkansas #205 17,069 1946 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #297 28,785 1953 57.8% Decline
Mississippi #235 19,876 1952 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #245 42,541 1956 15.0% Decline
Texas #243 111,892 1953 8.0% Decline

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
William Freddie Wendell Fredric Lawayne Windell Lyndell Linwood Durwood Harrell
👧 Sister Suggestions
Elaine Jane Frankie Freddie Susanne Merrill Phyllis Charlyn Saundra Sharron

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