Ricky

Ricky - A very unique male name

Ricky appeared on the charts for the first time in 1936 on position #1627. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ricky and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ricky? 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 Ricky. The baby boy name Ricky was given to 180 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1002 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 8,146 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ricky peaked in popularity 68 years ago in 1958 on position 34.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ricky, 1-5?

Ricky is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ricky is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #351 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,538.

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 Ricky is where you live.

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Ricky origin and meaning

Germanic — diminutive of Richard

Pet form of Richard, from Germanic ric, 'ruler, power', and hard, 'brave' — 'brave ruler'

Ricky is the familiar short form of Richard, used as a name in its own right since the 1930s. It peaked in 1958, in the era of Ricky Nelson, and now feels like a friendly mid-century nickname-name.

Attested etymology

Ricky is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Ricky

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

Rick / 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 Ricky

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 Ricky 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 Ricky?

2 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-ee · /ˈrɪki/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Rickey — Ey-ending spelling variant.
• Ricki — Spelling used for both sexes.

Nicknames: Rick

Famous bearers

• Ricky Martin — Puerto Rican singer, born Enrique Martín Morales and universally known as Ricky Martin (b. 1971) Contemporary
• Ricky Gervais — English comedian and co-creator of The Office (b. 1961) Contemporary

Style

Nickname nameClassic

Why parents choose it

Ricky is chosen for its easy, boyish friendliness rather than formality. It is much less used than in its 1950s heyday.

Worth knowing

• Many Rickys are formally Richard — people may assume it is a nickname.
• It reads as a 1950s–60s name to many ears.