Ricky
Ricky was the 949th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 248 babies. Its best year was 1958, when it ranked 34th with 13,375 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 367 places. More babies were named Ricky in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning pet form of Richard · English, Germanic
Say it RIK-ee /ˈɹɪki/
- Rank in 2025
- #949 boys, down 252 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 248boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 195813,375 babies
- Total since 1880
- 225,089babies recorded
What does the name Ricky mean?
Ricky is a pet form of Rick, the short form of Richard (and sometimes of Frederick or Ricardo). Richard is a Germanic name, Old High German Rīhhart, from rīc 'ruler, power' and hart 'hard, brave', brought to England by the Normans. It was borne by three English kings, including Richard the Lionheart. Ricky became popular in the 1950s, the era of Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy and singer Ricky Nelson.
rīc (Old High German, “ruler, power”)hart (Old High German, “hard, brave”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Richard, Rick, Ricardo, Rickey.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean strength, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ricky', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Richard', DMNES (Durham University)
Ricky popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 1,944 since 1927, 15 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #949 | 248 |
| 2020 | #697 | 366 |
| 2010 | #450 | 595 |
| 2000 | #294 | 1,025 |
| 1990 | #176 | 1,759 |
| 1980 | #122 | 2,232 |
| 1970 | #105 | 3,092 |
| 1960 | #38 | 11,000 |
| 1950 | #128 | 2,107 |
| 1940 | #927 | 48 |
| 1930 | #2,572 | 11 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Ricky, counting every spelling?
Ricky is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #789 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #949 for Ricky on its own. Together these spellings went to 306 boys in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ricky?
248 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ricky (0.07 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ricky born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 34 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ricky.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ricky?
About 176,600 people born in the US named Ricky are alive today, with a median age of 62; half are between 45 and 68. That makes Ricky a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ricky by state
How common Ricky was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Louisiana (2.1×), California (1.7×), Oklahoma (1.6×). In 23 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ricky: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ricky, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Ricky · Sibling names for Ricky
Ricky is also a nickname for Richard, Eric, Ricardo and Rick.
Questions about the name Ricky
What does Ricky mean?
Ricky means “pet form of Richard” (English, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ricky?
Ricky was the 949th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 248 babies. Its best year was 1958, when it ranked 34th with 13,375 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 367 places. More babies were named Ricky in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Ricky a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Ricky in the US.
Where is Ricky most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ricky was most common in Louisiana (0.34 per 1,000 boys), followed by California and Oklahoma.