Given name & surname
Ricardo
“a powerful ruler”
Ricardo is a variant of Richard. One English interpretation is “a powerful ruler.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Ricardo is a variant of Richard. One English interpretation is “a powerful ruler.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Ricardo is a variant of Richard. An origin associated with Richard is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1888. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Ricardo is a variant of Richard. The history of Richard gives this family its wider story. The Normans brought Richard to England, where it was borne by three kings. Richard I’s nickname Lionheart and his later appearance in Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe helped give the name a lasting place in popular historical storytelling.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Ricardo through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 147,169
- 146,456 boys · 713 girls
- Most popular year
- 1998
- 3,055 babies
- 2025
- 833
- #380 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −20%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 833 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 380 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 20.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 3,044 in 1998. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (222). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 189,959 as a first name in 2020; 3,544 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ricardo’s family of names
In English usage, Ricardo has a diminutive in Rick. Ricardo shares a linguistic root with Richard. In Portuguese usage, Ricardo has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Ryszard.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ricardo has relatives in 45 languages.
52 related names in 45 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 41
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- RikuFinnish
- RyszardPolish
- RickardSwedish
- RihoEstonian
- RikardoEsperanto
- RicardCatalan
- РичардRussian, Bulgarian
- ریکاردوborrowing · Persian
Show 33 moreShow fewer
- ΡιχάρδοςGreek
- Richardasequivalent
- Richardtequivalent
- RikardSwedish, Norwegian Nynorsk
- RiciarduRomanian
- RiciardRomanian
- ریچاردPersian
- RičardsLatvian
- RihardsLatvian
- RicardusLatin
- リチャードJapanese
- RíkharðurIcelandic
- RistéardIrish
- RichárdHungarian
- RijkertDutch
- रिचर्डHindi
- ריצ'רדHebrew
- LikekeHawaiian
- ΡίτσαρντGreek
- RhisiartWelsh
- RuiseartScottish Gaelic
- Rīcohardfrk
- RikhardFinnish
- RihardSlovene
- 리처드Korean
- 理查德Chinese
- RicharzhBreton
- РычардBelarusian
- রিচার্ডBengali
- RiçardAzerbaijani
- ՌիչարդArmenian
- ريتشاردarz, Arabic
- РикардоBulgarian
See also 4
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Ricardo
- KakáBrazilian association football player (born 1982)
- Ricardo QuaresmaPortuguese association football player (born 1983)
- Ricardo CarvalhoPortuguese footballerborn 1978
- Ricardo RodriguezSwiss association football player (born 1992)
- Ricardo LagosChilean politician, president of Chile from 2000 to 2006born 1938
- Ricardo Martinelli36th president of Panama from 2009 to 2014born 1952
- DodôJapanese association football playerborn 1974
- Ricardo CostaPortuguese footballerborn 1981
- Ricardo ZamoraSpanish association football player (1901-1978)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ricardo, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Gerardo
“one who is mighty with a spear”
>99% boys
Armando
“of the army; a soldier”
>99% boys
Eduardo
“a wealthy protector”
>99% boys
Ramiro
“a great judge”
>99% boys
Roberto
“one who is bright with fame”
>99% boys
Guillermo
“the determined protector” · “will”
>99% boys
Rodrigo
“famous ruler”
>99% boys
Alvaro
“guardian of all”
>99% boys