Why no Richards?

[FoylesForBooks]

I like the name Richard. I have never met a Richard I don't like. Why ar eno babies called this any more? Is it due a resurgence?

I know a brand new Peter - his parents are very 'hip and happening' types, so I'm sure it will be the next big thing...

Why is Peter penis-y? I don't understand!

I have a Richard, well he's my nephew so still mine. He's known as Richie though.

Nothing wrong with it and I'm surprised it hasn't had a revival yet due to all the recent Richard the Third hype!

Ricky/Rick or Rich would be the short forms most people would use, surely, so the 'dick' thing is a bit irrelevant. Plenty of people still call their sons 'William' and nobody brings up the 'willy' connection. Also people are still calling their daughters 'Frances' and nobody mentions 'Fanny' which used to be the short form. It has just been dropped, so the same thing would probably happen with 'Dick'.

I am sure it will come back around before long, you could be ahead of the curve.

I don't see why Dick is relevant either. Nobody uses that as the abbreviation these days. All the Richards I know are Rich or Rick. Or just Richard.

It's a great name.

I know (anecdotally) that Richard is quite popular in New Zealand, probably due to this bloke.

But always called Rich or Richie (or, very occasionally, Rick). Dick is not a happening nickname for anyone under 60!

I think it's a nice, respectable name.

And I never found Richard or Peter or Percy to be very penis-y!

I love Richard, Michael is also a fab boys name

I think Richard is a great name. Love Rich.

Really don't think that people would immediately think of penises for any of the names Richard, Peter, William etc - surely these are all normal nice classic names!

great name

Amazed OP that you know baby Ian, Ray, Brian and Clive! Can't imagine looking at a tiny baby and thinking they are an Ian....its still too middle aged IT manager for me (as pp said). These are the names of my parents' generation, not far enough removed to be cute or nostalgic yet (NB the female equivalents are Jill, Janice, Kathy, Brenda etc)

I really like Richard and all the Richards I have known were 'Richards'

I agree with the PP, why is William ok but not Richard., surely Willy is more of an obvious NN than Dick.

I don't know a Clive - just like it.

Ian was a baby at the same baby massage class as me though can't remember whether with dd or ds so whether 4 years or 2 years ago.

Brian - I know! Named after his grandfather but still!

Ray. Yeah we were all surprised by this one too. Actuall suits him well.

Yes, very true. In recent years I have taught Stephen, Peter, Simon, Scott, Robert etc - but never a Richard.

I used to live somewhere where there were a lot of kids who had parents from another country. The kids always had the coolest of retro names. They would have a name in their first language plus an English name. The English names were things like Ray, Margeret and Brian.

I know someone who's little boy has a Zulu name (very very cool and has a click in it) and an English name which is Clive

DS has Richard as his Middle name after my amazing grandad. Grandad was always know as Dick. I like the name but obviously that is clearly influenced by being the name of someone I loved so dearly.

There are no baby Stuarts, Garys, Stevens or Christophers either. It's a generational thing.

plenty of teenage Chris's around though and the odd Richard

I think the current crop of teenagers called Chris are nearly all Christians.

Dick is a very old-fashioned form. It's rarely used now. I find it bizarre that people are giving this as a reason against choosing Richard. The only Richards I know who are called Dick are all over 80.

You can have Rick, Ricky, Rich or Richie, but most of the Richards I know are called by their full name Richard.

i like the name. I read that there are no richards, but I know two under 12. one is just rich or richie though.

Worse than a baby Ian, I know of a child called Brian. He's about four. That choice surprised me. Richard is dated but at least seems quite regal and classic. Brian is so banal

I hope his mother isn't on mn

Brian does sound like a dreary Trevor style name in the UK but in Ireland it has a different vibe. Brian Boru was the High King of Ireland and is one of the most iconic and ass kicking figures in Irish history, so the name has never really gone out of fashion there.

I don't personally like it a huge amount but I don't think it's the worst name ever.

DS has a classic boys name but which was last popular in the 70s. You hear it said loads in the playground at school...but only at drop off and pick up as several dads share his name as do a couple of the teachers but none of his fellow pupils. By chance, DS' best friends are a Peter and a John. Their mums and I joke that they don't feel cool enough to mix with the Noah's, Cole's and Harrison's in the class.

I chose an out of fashion classic name too so I am not judging. I can't get behind brian, sorry squoosh! I do know of a woman who named her son Bran. I think of flakes but I'm so ignorant! it is after cuchulainn's madra.

I wouldn't choose to call a kid Brian either but if it was between Brian and Ian I think I'd have to go with Brian!

But Bran! That's bad, especially seeing as she named him after the dog. I mean I know he was great dog and everything...........