Given name & surname
Rico
“a powerful ruler”
Rico is a variant of Rick. In English use, Rick carries the interpretation “a powerful ruler.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Rico is a variant of Rick. In English use, Rick carries the interpretation “a powerful ruler.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Rico is a diminutive of Enrico. Enrico comes from Latin, and ultimately from Old High German.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In Spanish usage, Rico is a diminutive of Ricardo.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In French use, Rico is a diminutive of Henri. The history of Henri gives this family its wider story. Henri has a history of use among French royal or aristocratic families.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rico through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,971
- 9,926 boys · 45 girls
- Most popular year
- 1976
- 327 babies
- 2025
- 89
- #1,805 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −20%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 89 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,805 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 20.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 319 in 1991. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (17). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,753 as a first name in 2020; 25,453 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.
Rico’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Rico is a diminutive of Ricardo. Rico has a related form in Rick. In Spanish usage, Rico is a diminutive of Federico.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rico has relatives in 7 languages.
9 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rico
- Rico LewisEnglish footballer (born 2004)
- Rico RodriguezAmerican actorborn 1998
- Rico HenryEnglish association football player (born 1997)
- Rico VerhoevenDutch kickboxerborn 1989
- Rico RodriguezJamaican musician (1934–2015)
- Rico FreimuthGerman decathleteborn 1988
- Rico BianchiSwiss rower1930–2025
- Rico Freiermuthbobsledderborn 1958
- Rico AlanizRetired actor (1919-2015)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rico, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rodrick
Rodrick is a masculine given name.
>99% boys
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“glorious wolf”
>99% boys
Ronell
“the king's advisor”
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Roderick
Roderick has Germanic roots, with later Scottish and Welsh uses that follow different paths.
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Ryne
“the little ruler; little king”
>99% boys
Delrico
“the king”
>99% boys
Rodrigues
“son of Rodrigo”
>99% boys
Reggy
“the king's advisor”
>99% boys