Understanding the Name Richard: Origin and Meaning

What Does Richard Mean?

Learn about the name Richard including the meaning, gender, origin, popularity, and more.

The name Richard means “mighty ruler” or “brave ruler.”

What is the Origin of the Name Richard?

Richard is an English name of Germanic origin. It is derived from the words “ric” (meaning ruler) and “hard” (meaning brave).

How Popular is the Name Richard?

Ever since the name traveled to Britain from Normandy in the eleventh century, it has been consistently very popular. It has dropped off in popularity in recent years, but it is still very common.

In the last century, Richard has consistently ranked in the top 100 baby names until 2007 when it began to decrease in popularity. At the height of its popularity, it ranked as the 5th most popular name from 1930 to 1947 ⁽¹⁾.

Since 2007, it has steadily decreased in popularity. Given its more old-fashioned nature this makes sense. At the moment, however, the name Richard is still popular. It is the 216th most popular name given to baby boys ⁽²⁾.

How Do I Pronounce Richard?

In English, the name Richard is pronounced, “RIHCH-ehrd.”

In German, the name is pronounced, “REE-khart.”

In French, the name is pronounced, “REE-SHAR.”

Is Richard a Boy or Girl Name?

Richard is most commonly used as a boy’s name. There are no records of it being used as a girl’s name.

Variations of Richard

If you don’t think the name Richard is quite right for your little one, here are some variations of the name Richard:

• Ricarda (German)
• Ricardo (Spanish, Portuguese)
• Riccardo (Italian)
• Richardine (German)
• Richenda (German)
• Rickard (German
• Rico (Spanish)
• Rikard (German)
• Riku (Japanese)
• Risteárd (French)
• Ryszard (German)

Nicknames for Richard

Given that Richard is typically used in older generations, you may want to explore potential nicknames for the name Richard. Possible nicknames include:

• Dick
• Dickie
• Hardy
• Rich
• Richie
• Rick
• Rickey
• Ricki
• Ricky
• Ritch
• Ritchie

Similar Names to Richard

Names that are similar in sound to Richard include:

• Abelard
• Bayard
• Bernard
• Deckard
• Maynard
• Raymond
• Reinhardt
• Rembrandt
• Reynard
• Reynold
• Richmond
• Ridge
• Ridwan

Names that are similar in meaning to Richard include:

• Alaric (Gothic, “ruler of all”)
• Aldric (Germanic, “old ruler”)
• Baldrick (Germanic, “brave ruler”)
• Bertholdt (Germanic, “bright ruler”)
• Emmerich (Germanic, “universal ruler”)
• Gunvald (Norwegian, “war ruler”)
• Jayesh (Sanskrit, “lord of victory”)
• Rajesh (Sanskrit, “ruler of kings”)
• Regis (French, “ruler”)
• Roderick (English, “famous ruler”)
• Ulrich (Germanic, “prosperous ruler”)

Middle Names for Richard

If you’ve already decided on the name Richard, then you might be looking for middle names that fit nicely with the name Richard. These traditionally masculine middle names flow well with the strength and sound of the name Richard.

• Allen
• Alexander
• Brandon
• Brian
• Eric
• Francis
• Joseph
• Michael
• Robert
• Thomas
• Xavier

Sibling Names for Richard

Perhaps you already have a sweet child named Richard and are looking for the perfect name for a sibling. Some possible names for the sibling of a child named Richard include:

For a brother:

• Albert
• Alexander
• Damian
• Duke
• Geoffrey
• Henry
• Jason
• John
• Timothy
• William

For a sister:

• Eleanor
• Jane
• Joan
• Marie
• Matilda

Famous People Named Richard

The name Richard has been widely used for centuries. Celebrities and well-known public figures who share the name include:

• Dick Pound: Canadian professional swimmer and anti-drug activist.
• Dick Miller: American actor.
• Dick Van Dyke: British actor.
• King Richard I/Richard the Lionheart: British monarch.
• Richard Adams: English author.
• Richard Dreyfuss: American actor.
• Richard Gere: American actor.
• Richard Anthony Marin: American comedian, also known as Cheech Marin.
• Richard Matheson: American writer.
• Richard Nixon: American president.
• Richard Dennis Oatts: American jazz saxophonist, also known as Dick Oatts.
• Richard Wayne Penniman: American musician, also known as Little Richard.
• Richard Pryor: American comedian.
• Richard Scarry: American author.
• Richard Strauss: German opera composer.
• Richard Wagner: German opera composer.
• Richard D. Zanuck: American film producer.
• Ritchie Blackmore: English guitarist.

Richard in Popular Culture

The name Richard is used very often in popular culture. Characters and media that feature the name include:

• Dick the Bruiser: Ring name of professional wrestler William Aflis.
• Dick Dastardly: Character in several Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
• Dick Hardly: Character in Cartoon Network’s 1998 animated series “The Powerpuff Girls.”
• Dick Roman: Character in The CW’s 2005 action fantasy series “Supernatural.”
• Dick Tracy: Character in the American comic strip “Dick Tracy”by Chester Gould.
• Moby-Dick: Character in the 1851 novel “Moby-Dick”by Herman Melville.
• Richard Blaine: Character in the film “Casablanca.”
• Richard Grayson: Character in DC Comics’ “Batman.”
• Richard Kimble: Character in the 1993 film “The Fugitive.”
• Richard Rider: Character in Marvel Comics.
• Richie Rich: Character in Harvey Comics’ “Richie Rich”comics.
• Richie Tozier: Character in the 1986 novel “IT”by Stephen King.
• Rick Deckard: Character in the 1968 science fiction novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”by Philip K. Dick.
• Rick Sanchez: Character in the Warner Bros. 2013 animated series “Rick and Morty.”
• Rickon Stark: Character in the book “A Song of Ice and Fire”by George R.R. Martin.

Richard FAQs

Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the name Richard.