Given name & surname
Rickey
“a powerful ruler”
In English use, Rickey is a diminutive of Richard. One English interpretation is “a powerful ruler.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Rickey is a diminutive of Richard. One English interpretation is “a powerful ruler.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Rickey is a diminutive 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 1924. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Rickey is a diminutive 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
Rickey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 62,391
- 61,717 boys · 674 girls
- Most popular year
- 1958
- 3,818 babies
- 2025
- 45
- #2,827 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 45 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,827 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 30.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 3,782 in 1958. In 2025, California and Florida shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 34,441 as a first name in 2020; 2,249 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.
Rickey’s family of names
In English usage, Rickey is a diminutive of Richard.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Rickey
- Rickey HendersonAmerican Hall of Fame baseball player (1958–2024)
- Rickey GreenAmerican basketball player (born 1954)
- Rickey ThompsonAmerican actorborn 1996
- Rickey PauldingAmerican basketball player (born 1982)
- Rickey BrownAmerican basketball player (born 1958)
- Rickey JacksonAmerican football playerborn 1958
- Rickey ParkeyAmerican boxer (1956–2024)
- Ricky Kelmanactor, born 1949
- Rickey WoodardAmerican jazz musicianborn 1950
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rickey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rick
“a powerful ruler”
>99% boys
Mickey
“who is like God?”
87% boys · 13% girls
Rise
“one who laughs often”
76% boys · 24% girls
Rodney
“from the famous one's island” · “from the island's clearing”
>99% boys
Rich
“a powerful ruler”
>99% boys
Ritchie
“a powerful ruler”
>99% boys
Richie
“a powerful ruler”
96% boys · 4% girls
Randal
“the wolf shield”
>99% boys