Rick

Rick - A very unique male name

Rick appeared on the charts for the first time in 1936 on position #1626. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rick and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rick? 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 Rick. The baby boy name Rick was given to 8 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3339 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 183,286 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rick peaked in popularity 68 years ago in 1958 on position 76.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rick, 1-5?

Rick is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rick is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,952 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,952.

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 Rick is where you live.

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Rick origin and meaning

Germanic, as a short form of Richard

A short form of Richard, from Germanic ric, 'power, rule', and hard, 'brave, hardy'

Rick rose as the everyday short form of Richard and became a standalone favourite in its own right, peaking in 1958 with over five thousand births. It has fallen a long way since — a mid-century name now given to only a handful of boys a year, which gives it a retro, dad-name character.

Attested etymology

Rick is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Rick

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

Ricky / Ross / Rickey / Rex / Rocco / Royce / Rocky / Reece / Reese / Roscoe /

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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 Rick

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 Rick 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 Rick?

1 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

RIK · /rɪk/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Ricky

Famous bearers

• Rick Astley — English singer of 'Never Gonna Give You Up' (1987), later the face of the Rickrolling meme (b. 1966) Contemporary
• Rick James — American funk singer known for 'Super Freak' (1948–2004) Contemporary

Style

Nickname nameShort form

Why parents choose it

Rick today reads as a cheerful throwback — the friendly neighbour from a 1960s sitcom. Parents who choose it are usually honouring a Richard or leaning into its retro plainness.

Worth knowing

• Its 1958 peak makes it feel dated to many ears; it is a grandfather-era name now.
• It is usually assumed to be short for Richard, Frederick or Eric.