Rico

Rico - A very unique male name

Rico appeared on the charts for the first time in 1920 on position #1915. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Rico and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Rico? 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 Rico. The baby boy name Rico was given to 49 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1726 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 29,924 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Rico peaked in popularity 50 years ago in 1976 on position 435.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Rico, 1-5?

Rico is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Rico is currently topping the baby name charts in Washington at position #977 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #2,037.

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 Rico is where you live.

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Rico origin and meaning

Spanish and Italian, short form

A short form of Ricardo, Enrico or Federico; through Ricardo (Richard) it derives from Germanic ric, 'ruler,' and hart, 'brave, strong'

Rico works as a nickname for several longer names in Spanish and Italian, and it is also the Spanish word for 'rich.' It had a modest American run in the 1970s, peaking in 1976, and has drifted down since. As a full name it carries a smooth, confident, Latin flavour.

Attested etymology

Rico is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Rico

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

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

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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 Rico

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 Rico 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 Rico?

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

REE-koh · /ˈriːkoʊ/

Around the world

• Rico (Spanish) — Used as-is in Spanish, both as a nickname and the word for 'rich'

Spellings and nicknames

• Ricco — A rare doubled-c spelling

Famous bearers

• Rico Rodriguez — American actor known for playing Manny Delgado on Modern Family (b. 1998) Contemporary

Style

Nickname nameInternational

Why parents choose it

Short, suave and cross-cultural, with an upbeat 'rich' meaning in Spanish on top of the nickname roots.

Worth knowing

• Some hear it as a nickname only, or as the RICO Act's acronym in American legal news.