Ricardo Boy

Popularity: #358 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ree-CAR-do /riˈkaɾðo/

Origin: Spanish; Portuguese

Meaning: Spanish: brave ruler; Portuguese: powerful leader

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ricardo has its roots in the Germanic elements "ric" meaning "ruler" or "power" and "hard" meaning "brave" or "strong." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, beginning with the Old High German form "Richart," which was later adapted into the Latinized form "Ricardus." The name made its way into the Romance languages, particularly through Old French as "Richard," before being adapted into Spanish and Portuguese as "Ricardo." This transition reflects the broader historical interactions between Germanic tribes and the Romance-speaking populations of Europe during the early Middle Ages. Historically, the name Ricardo has been borne by several notable figures, including kings and saints.

One of the most significant was Richard the Lionheart (Richard I of England), who reigned in the late 12th century and is often associated with the Crusades. His legacy contributed to the name's prominence in medieval Europe.

Additionally, Saint Richard of Chichester, a 13th-century bishop known for his piety and dedication, further solidified the name's religious significance in Christian contexts. The name also appears in various historical texts and translations, including the King James Bible, which helped disseminate biblical names throughout English-speaking regions.

Culturally, the name Ricardo carries connotations of leadership and strength, resonating with the qualities of its etymological roots. In Spanish and Portuguese-speaking cultures, it has been embraced in literature and the arts, often symbolizing noble characteristics.

The diminutive form "Ricky" has also emerged in various contexts, although its usage is more contemporary. Overall, the name Ricardo reflects a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural significance, embodying themes of power and bravery that have endured through centuries.

Famous people named Ricardo

In this section, you will find notable people named Ricardo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ricardo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ricardo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ricardo Montalbán was an actor best known for Fantasy Island, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!.

Ricardo Arjona is a singer-songwriter best known for Animal Nocturno, Historias de un Amor, and Apague la Luz.

Ricardo Pereira is an actor best known for the TV series O Último a Sair, and the film A Caverna.

Ricardo Kaká is a retired footballer best known for his time at AC Milan, Real Madrid, and the Brazilian national team.

Fictional characters named Ricardo

The following list of fictional characters named Ricardo is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Ricardo Montalbán is a fictional character from the film series Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He is the genetically engineered villain who seeks revenge against Captain Kirk and Starfleet for his past grievances.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ricardo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DiegoMateoSantiagoJavierAlejandroLuis

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ricardo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

RiccardoRicoRafaelRobertoRamonRubenRaulRocco

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ricardo was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Ricardo has ranked as high as #238 nationally, which occurred in 1998, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Ricardo has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ricardo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ricardo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ricardo.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 833 833 0
2024 871 871 0
2023 876 876 0
2022 920 920 0
2021 946 946 0
2020 963 963 0
2019 1,018 1,018 0
2018 1,125 1,125 0
2017 1,168 1,168 0
2016 1,297 1,297 0
2015 1,340 1,340 0
2014 1,462 1,462 0
2013 1,430 1,430 0
2012 1,567 1,567 0
2011 1,635 1,635 0
2010 1,886 1,886 0
2009 2,303 2,303 0
2008 2,757 2,757 0
2007 2,779 2,779 0
2006 2,702 2,702 0
2005 2,632 2,626 6
2004 2,789 2,781 8
2003 2,770 2,762 8
2002 2,718 2,709 9
2001 2,859 2,853 6
2000 2,923 2,918 5
1999 3,000 2,987 13
1998 3,055 3,044 11
1997 2,932 2,926 6
1996 2,897 2,883 14
1995 2,880 2,871 9
1994 2,993 2,974 19
1993 2,966 2,947 19
1992 3,042 3,024 18
1991 2,865 2,853 12
1990 2,816 2,802 14
1989 2,752 2,735 17
1988 2,524 2,502 22
1987 2,142 2,124 18
1986 2,249 2,222 27
1985 2,157 2,139 18
1984 2,224 2,209 15
1983 2,197 2,179 18
1982 2,311 2,291 20
1981 2,381 2,364 17
1980 2,340 2,324 16
1979 2,098 2,076 22
1978 1,902 1,880 22
1977 1,746 1,724 22
1976 1,795 1,784 11
1975 1,742 1,726 16
1974 1,830 1,812 18
1973 1,648 1,631 17
1972 1,710 1,701 9
1971 1,687 1,670 17
1970 1,668 1,653 15
1969 1,588 1,573 15
1968 1,359 1,350 9
1967 1,301 1,290 11
1966 1,211 1,201 10
1965 1,291 1,279 12
1964 1,327 1,317 10
1963 1,333 1,327 6
1962 1,267 1,256 11
1961 1,256 1,245 11
1960 1,320 1,311 9
1959 1,354 1,346 8
1958 1,300 1,295 5
1957 1,190 1,182 8
1956 1,108 1,101 7
1955 1,114 1,104 10
1954 1,102 1,092 10
1953 1,056 1,051 5
1952 863 863 0
1951 676 670 6
1950 614 614 0
1949 492 492 0
1948 453 448 5
1947 379 379 0
1946 349 349 0
1945 287 282 5
1944 253 253 0
1943 211 211 0
1942 211 205 6
1941 218 218 0
1940 207 207 0
1939 179 179 0
1938 186 186 0
1937 196 196 0
1936 158 158 0
1935 162 162 0
1934 189 189 0
1933 168 168 0
1932 159 159 0
1931 176 176 0
1930 216 216 0
1929 204 204 0
1928 167 167 0
1927 152 152 0
1926 99 99 0
1925 138 138 0
1924 114 114 0
1923 81 81 0
1922 85 85 0
1921 54 54 0
1920 74 74 0
1919 61 61 0
1918 52 52 0
1917 46 46 0
1916 40 40 0
1915 37 37 0
1914 26 26 0
1913 17 17 0
1912 25 25 0
1911 17 17 0
1910 9 9 0
1909 14 14 0
1908 9 9 0
1907 10 10 0
1904 8 8 0
1903 8 8 0
1902 7 7 0
1901 5 5 0
1891 7 7 0
1888 6 6 0

Top States for Ricardo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 222
27%
CA 215
26%
FL 58
7%
AZ 48
6%
NY 28
3%
IL 25
3%
GA 20
2%
WA 19
2%
CO 19
2%
NJ 17
2%
NC 15
2%
TN 14
2%
SC 13
2%
IN 13
2%
OR 12
1%
VA 10
1%
NM 9
1%
MD 9
1%
MI 8
1%
PA 8
1%
MA 8
1%
OK 8
1%
MO 7
1%
OH 7
1%
CT 6
1%
MN 6
1%
KS 6
1%