Riku

♂ Boy

Pronounced REE-koo /ˈri.ku/Medium

Meaning: From Japanese riku, 'land', or 'two together' (kanji-dependent); also a Finnish form of Richard; routes layeredMedium

In 30 seconds: Grounded and modern: Riku is Japanese for 'land' — and a Finnish Richard. Crisp, cool, and worldly (Kingdom Hearts' Riku).

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumJapanese, Finnish

MeaningFrom Japanese riku, 'land', or 'two together' (kanji-dependent); also a Finnish form of Richard; routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#6730 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births13 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 483

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Riku comes from Japanese riku, 'land' (or 'two together', depending on the kanji), and is also a Finnish form of Richard, 'brave ruler' (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, cool, worldly name.

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese and Finnish families. Rare, land at the (Japanese) root, and crisp.

Did you know? Riku means 'land' (or 'two together') in Japanese, depending on the kanji — and is a Finnish form of Richard; the Kingdom Hearts character made it familiar.

Overall data confidence 70%

Japanese references — Riku — routes layered

Variations

RikkuRicu

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

★Riku Onda (1964-)
Japanese author who won the Naoki Prize for her mystery novels

If you like Riku…

Ryu— a fellow short Japanese name

Kaito— a companion Japanese name

Niko— a fellow crisp name

Rumi— shares Riku's Japanese roots

Ryo— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Riku

By themeuncertain japanese finnish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Riku mean?

Riku is Japanese for 'land' (or 'two together'), and a Finnish Richard; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Riku?

It's said REE-koo /ˈri.ku/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Riku a boy or girl name?

Riku is a boy's name.

How popular is Riku?

Riku is a rare name in the U.S.