Ricardo
How to say it: rih-KAR-doh · /rɪˈkɑrdoʊ/
Spanish and Portuguese form of Richard, from Old Germanic 'Ricohard', meaning 'powerful ruler' or 'strong king'.
Ricardo was the 389th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 833 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 38% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #447 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #389 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 833 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,980 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −38% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #447 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,110 among boys’ names, 20 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After a high in the 1990s, Ricardo has grown rarer. It stands well below that high and the coming stretch looks set for continued softening.
What goes with it
Crisp edges over soft resonance give Ricardo a strong ease that travels well. Roberto pairs nicely in style.
Middle names that flow with Ricardo →
Nicknames
- Rico
- Rick
- Ricky
- Ric
Honouring a Ricardo in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ricardo is about 1 in 166.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #1,110 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Ricardo
- Ricardo Quaresma (born 1983)Portuguese association football player
- Ricardo Carvalho (born 1978)Portuguese footballer
- Ricardo Rodriguez (born 1992)Swiss association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Keep exploring
About as popular as Ricardo
Find names you'll both love, starting with Ricardo
The one-minute style quiz.