Where does the name Ricky come from?

Ricky is a boy name of Germanic origin.

Is Ricky a boy or a girl name?

Ricky is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Ricky are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Ricky in 2023?

Ricky ranks #13184 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1958 with 13,424 babies.

How do you pronounce Ricky?

Ricky is pronounced RIK-ee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Ricky?

Ricky is also written as Rick, Rickie, Richie.

A name from Germanic · Boy

Ricky

A diminutive of Richard, from Germanic ric ('ruler') + hard ('hardy, brave'); 'brave ruler'. The most 1950s-American spelling of the nickname, associated with Ricky Ricardo and Ricky Nelson.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 98-year arc in numbers.

222,595 U.S. births recorded from 1925–2023.

Popularity · 1925–2023

277 births in 2023

1925 1974 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

RA diminutive of Richard, from Germanic ric ('ruler') + hard ('hardy, brave'); 'brave ruler'. The most 1950s-American spelling of the nickname, associated with Ricky Ricardo and Ricky Nelson.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Ricky".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Rick Most common Rickie Richie

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Ricky.

R
Ricky Martin (singer)
R
Ricky Gervais (comedian)
R
Ricky Nelson (singer and actor)

Quick answers

People often ask about Ricky.

What does the name Ricky mean?: Ricky means a diminutive of Richard, from Germanic ric ('ruler') + hard ('hardy, brave'); 'brave ruler'. The most 1950s-American spelling of the nickname, associated with Ricky Ricardo and Ricky Nelson.
Where does the name Ricky come from?: Ricky is a boy name of Germanic origin.
Is Ricky a boy or a girl name?: Ricky is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Ricky are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Ricky in 2023?: Ricky ranks #13184 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1958 with 13,424 babies.
How do you pronounce Ricky?: Ricky is pronounced RIK-ee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Ricky?: Ricky is also written as Rick, Rickie, Richie.

Similar names

If you love Ricky, also consider…

Robert

#88

Boy ·Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

From Old High German Ricohard — rīc, "ruler, power," + hard, "brave, strong" — i

Ruler of the home; estate ruler

Walter

#267

Boy ·Germanic

From Old High German Walthari — wald, "rule," + hari, "army" — i

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.