Ricardo

Ricardo - A very unique male name

Ricardo appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #487. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ricardo and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ricardo? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Ricardo. The baby boy name Ricardo was given to 799 baby boys in 2025, ranking #384 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,835 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ricardo peaked in popularity 34 years ago in 1992 on position 116.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ricardo, 1-5?

Ricardo is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ricardo is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #159 - and is the least popular in Michigan at position #1,084.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ricardo is where you live.

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Ricardo origin and meaning

Spanish and Portuguese, from Germanic Richard

Form of Richard, 'brave ruler' — ric, 'rule,' and hard, 'brave'

Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Richard, the Germanic name of kings and crusaders. It has been a fixture of US data since 1911, peaked in 1998, and has been falling since, while remaining one of the most recognised Spanish boys' names.

Attested etymology

Ricardo is a 7 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Ricardo, pop culture references for the name Ricardo and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Ricardo

We've found the following names that sound similar to Ricardo, sorted by popularity.

Richard / Rashard / Richardo / Riccardo / Richardson / Record / Reshard / Ricard / Recardo / Ricahrd /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Ricardo

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Ricardo a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ricardo?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

rih-KAR-doh · /rɪˈkɑːrdoʊ/

Around the world

• Ricardo (Spanish) — The source form
• Ricardo (Portuguese) — The same form in Portuguese
• Riccardo (Italian) — The Italian form

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: RickyRicoRick

Famous bearers

• Ricardo Montalbán — Mexican-American actor known for Fantasy Island and Star Trek's Khan (1920–2009) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

A strong, handsome standard with deep roots in Spanish-speaking families and instant recognition in English.

Worth knowing

• English speakers often anglicise it to 'Richard' in formal settings, which not all bearers welcome.