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Richard

Heart
German
"dominant ruler"

Richard Origin and Meaning

The name Richard is a boy's name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".

A classic old Norman name popular for a thousand years and favored for kings (Richard Nixon was named for Richard the Lionhearted), as well as the hoi polloi (as in every Tom, Dick and Harry), Richard was the sixth most popular US boys’ name in 1925, and was still Number 8 in 1950, but is now much less popular.

We predict that if parents do readopt the name Richard, it will be in its full and formal version. All the possible nicknames -- Richie (too Happy Days), Ricky, (too I Love Lucy) and especially Dick (too tricky and teasable) -- sound so dated that it's hard to imagine Richard ever coming back into style. But not that long ago, people said that about now-hot baby names Jake and Max.

# 219 in the US

Richard Rank in US Top 1000

# 424 on Nameberry

Richard Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Richard Popularity

20 Names Similar to Richard

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Richard.

Famous People Named Richard

  • Richard I the LionheartKing of England
  • Richard IIKing of England
  • Richard IIIKing of England and subject of a play by Shakespeare
  • Richard WagnerGerman composer
  • Richard Milhous Nixon37th U.S. president
  • Richard BurtonWelsh actor
  • Richard Starkeybirth name of Ringo Starr, English drummer for The Beatles
  • (Clinton) Richard DawkinsEnglish evolutionist
  • Richard Charles RodgersAmerican composer
  • Richard Lynn CarpenterAmerican musician and composer
  • Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas PryorAmerican comedian
  • Richard Tiffany GereAmerican actor
  • Richard Crispin ArmitageEnglish actor
  • Richard E. GrantEnglish actor
  • Richard Alexander Walter GeorgePrince of the U.K.; Duke of Gloucester; cousin of Elizabeth II
  • Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin6th Prince of Sayn,Wittgenstein,Berleburg; husband of Princess Benedikte of Denmark
  • Richard "Dick" WintersWWII paratrooper and CO of Easy Company (of "Band of Brothers" fame)
  • Richard Benjamin "Dick" HaymesArgentine actor & singer
  • Richard Ralph Haymesson of Dick Haymes & Joanne Dru
  • Richard Speight Jr.American actor
  • Richard Dean AndersonAmerican actor
  • Richard RoxburghAustralian actor
  • Richard MaddenScottish actor
  • Richard Ellef AyoadeEnglish comedian, actor, writer and director
  • Richard Robert RuccoloAmerican actor
  • Richard David BriersEnglish actor
  • Richard ShermanNFL player
  • Richard (Richie) Hugh McCawNew Zealand rugby footballer
  • Richard FeynmanAmerican theoretical physicist & Nobel prize winner
  • Richard Hadfieldmember of English band Collabro
  • Richard Stephen DreyfussAmerican actor
  • Richard "Dick" Gordon Jr.American astronaut
  • Richard 'Fazer' RawsonBritish Singer, Producer and member of N,Dubz
  • Richard BransonBritish entrepeneur
  • Richard WarrenMayflower passenger
  • Richard Morton ShermanAmerican songwriter with his brother Robert B. Sherman
  • Richard LeafBritish actor
  • Richard James "Rick" CosnettZimbabwean,Australian actor
  • Richard LuiAmerican journalist, MSNBC anchor
  • Richard Meeker Jr.late son of American actress Mary Tyler Moore
  • Richard JenkinsAmerican actor
  • Richard BlaisAmerican chef
  • Richard Everitt (b. 1978)15 year old white British boy who was stabbed to death because he was white in 1994

Richard in Pop Culture

  • Richard "Dick" Graysonalso known as Robin, character in DC Universe
  • Richard Swiftalso known as Shade, character in DC Universe
  • Richard Hendrickscharacter on TV's "Silicon Valley"
  • Richard Alexander Rodgers aka Richard Edgar "Rick" Castlecharacter on TV's "Castle"
  • Richard Bucketcharacter on British comedy "Keeping Up Appearances"
  • Richard Gilmorecharacter on TV's "Gilmore Girls"
  • Richard Romacharacter in David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross"
  • Richard Webbercharacter on TV's "Grey's Anatomy"
  • Richard Traverscharacter in the movie "Cliffhanger"
  • Richard Cole the Englishkjurnalist from the Power of Five book series
  • Richard Cyphermain character on TV's "Legend of the Seeker"
  • Richard Parkertiger in Yann Martel's "Life of Pi"
  • Richard Wellingtoncharacter in game 'Ace Attorney'
  • Richard Tylercharacter in animated film "The Pagemaster"
  • Richard "Dick" Casablancascharacter on TV's "Veronica Mars"
  • Richard "Dick" Campbell Gansey IIIcharacter in "The Raven Cycle" by Maggie Stiefvater
  • Richard Papencharacter in "The Secret History"
  • Richard Lestrangecharacter in "The Blue Lagoon"
  • Richard Phillipscharacter in "Sims" series
  • Richard "Rocky" Scarletcharacter in "Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism" by Georgia Byng
  • Richard "Rich" Hardbeckcharacter from British TV show "Skins"
  • Richard "Rick" Blainecharacter from "Casablanca"
  • Richard "Rick" Sanchezcharacter from "Rick and Morty"
  • Richard "Dick" Romancharacter from Supernatural
  • Richard WattersonGumball's father in the Amazing World of Gumball
  • Richard MacDuffprogrammer and ex,boyfriend of Dirk Gently in the novel "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency"