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Home › Baby Names Directory › Richardson

Richardson

♂ Boy

Pronounced RICH-erd-sun /ˈrɪtʃ.ərd.sən/High

Meaning: From an English surname, 'son of Richard' — Richard, from the Germanic ric, 'power; rule', plus hard, 'brave; strong'; 'powerful, brave ruler'Low

In 30 seconds: Son of Richard; son of the powerful ruler: Richardson is an English surname. Crisp, classic, and warm.
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Origin LowGermanic, English
MeaningFrom an English surname, 'son of Richard' — Richard, from the Germanic ric, 'power; rule', plus hard, 'brave; strong'; 'powerful, brave ruler'
U.S. rank (2025)#8110 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births10 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2000
Total births (all-time)≈ 669

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201119192025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Richardson comes from an English surname — 'son of Richard', with Richard from the Germanic ric, 'power; rule', plus hard, 'brave; strong' — 'powerful, brave ruler'. A crisp, classic name across English and Brazilian families (said 'RICH-erd-sun'; nickname Richie).

In the U.S. and Brazil it appears thinly. Rare, son-of-the-powerful-ruler at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Richard means 'powerful, brave ruler' (Germanic ric, 'power', plus hard, 'brave') — Richardson means 'son of Richard' — a crisp, classic surname-name (said 'RICH-erd-sun').
Overall data confidence 52%
References — Richardson — surname etymology

Variations

RichardRitchardson

Nicknames

Richie

Famous Bearers

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If you like Richardson…

Richard— the root name
Richmond— a kin Rich- boys' name
Harrison— a sound-neighbor -son surname boys' name
Emerson— another -son surname boys' name

Explore names like Richardson

By themeenglishsurname-namegermanic
By meaningStrengthRoyal / NobleBrave / Courage

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Richardson mean?

Richardson is an English surname — 'son of Richard (the powerful, brave ruler)'.

How do you pronounce Richardson?

It's said RICH-erd-sun /ˈrɪtʃ.ərd.sən/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Richardson a boy or girl name?

Richardson is a boy's name.

How popular is Richardson?

Richardson is a rare name in the U.S.

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