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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ricky

Ricky

♀ Girl

Pronounced RIK-ee /ˈrɪk.i/High

Meaning: A short form of names like Ricarda/Erica ('a powerful ruler; ever-ruler', Germanic ric, 'ruler/power'); more often a boys' name (via Richard/Ricardo); here for a girlLow

In 30 seconds: A powerful ruler: Ricky forms Ricarda/Erica. Crisp, classic, and warm. More often a boys' name — here a girl.
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Origin LowGermanic
MeaningA short form of names like Ricarda/Erica ('a powerful ruler; ever-ruler', Germanic ric, 'ruler/power'); more often a boys' name (via Richard/Ricardo); here for a girl
U.S. rank (2025)#7420 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births15 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1959
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,944

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 195919272025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ricky is a short form of names like Ricarda/Erica ('a powerful ruler; ever-ruler', Germanic ric, 'ruler/power'); more often a boys' name (via Richard/Ricardo); here for a girl. A crisp, classic name (slug distinguished; said 'RIK-ee').

In the U.S. it appears mostly as a boys' name; this girls' use is less common. Rare for a girl, a-powerful-ruler at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Ricky comes from the Germanic ric ('ruler; power') — a short form of Ricarda/Erica for girls (more often a boys' name via Richard); crisp and friendly (said 'RIK-ee').
Overall data confidence 30%
References — Ricky — Germanic; cross-sex

Variations

RikkiRickiRickie

Nicknames

Rick

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ricky…

Rikki— a kin spelling
Ricki— a kin spelling
Nikki— a fellow -ikki girls' name
Rocky— a fellow Germanic choice
Robyn— another Germanic name

Explore names like Ricky

By themegermaniccross-sex

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ricky mean?

Ricky is a short form of Ricarda/Erica ('a powerful ruler', from Germanic ric). It is more often a boys' name; here for a girl.

How do you pronounce Ricky?

It's said RIK-ee /ˈrɪk.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Ricky a boy or girl name?

Ricky is more often a boys' name; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Ricky?

Ricky is a rare given name for girls in the U.S.

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