A 1920s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Richardson since 1919
Babies named Richardson per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2000, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Richardson's real moment was 1928.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 8 |
| 1920s | 28 |
| 1930s | 21 |
| 1940s | 27 |
| 1950s | 57 |
| 1960s | 30 |
| 1970s | 48 |
| 1980s | 88 |
| 1990s | 89 |
| 2000s | 119 |
| 2010s | 96 |
| 2020s | 58 |
Meaning & origin
Richardson is a classic surname-turned-given-name with deep English roots. Its usage as a first name began modestly in the early 20th century, with its peak popularity occurring in 1928, ranking highest among the top 8,000 names. After declining in the mid-20th century, it has been rising steadily since 1990. In 2025, it saw a resurgence with a rank of 7679 and a frequency of 1 in 170,808 births. Richardson's trajectory reflects a broader trend of reviving vintage surname-style names, especially from the 1920s, making it a distinctive yet familiar choice for modern parents.
Richardson is an English patronymic surname meaning "son of Richard." The given name Richard derives from Old Germanic elements "ric" (ruler, power) and "hard" (brave, strong). As a first name, Richardson emerged in the early 20th century, likely influenced by the trend of using surnames as given names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rich, Richie, Rick, Ricky
Variants: Richeson, Ritchardson
Sibling names for Richardson
Names that share Richardson's style, for a brother or sister.
