Chico
A diminutive of the male given name Francisco, from Portuguese.
Every Chico since 1922 — 951 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chico
Chico is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1922, 951 American babies have been named Chico. Its peak came in 1977, when 56 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chico stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chico year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | 7 | #9,759 |
| 2019 | 5 | #12,507 |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 7 | #9,893 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 8 | #9,132 |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | 5 | #12,688 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8,868 |
| 2005 | 9 | #7,744 |
| 2004 | 7 | #9,104 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6,814 |
| 2002 | 6 | #9,577 |
| 2001 | 16 | #4,709 |
| 2000 | 9 | #6,932 |
| 1995 | 11 | #5,186 |
| 1990 | 15 | #3,804 |
| 1985 | 9 | #4,384 |
| 1980 | 29 | #1,914 |
| 1975 | 37 | #1,457 |
| 1970 | 20 | #2,005 |
| 1965 | 7 | #3,288 |
| 1960 | 8 | #3,131 |
| 1955 | 16 | #1,983 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | 6 | #3,041 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 6 | #3,321 |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,338 |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Chico
- Chico Buarque Musician · b. 1944
- Chico Xavier Writer · 1910–2002
- Chico Mendes Social activist · 1944–1988
- Chico Marx Actor · 1887–1961
- Chico Landi Racing driver · 1907–1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Chico mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Francisco, from Portuguese.
How popular is the name Chico in 2025?
Chico did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Chico?
951 babies have been named Chico in the United States since 1922, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chico most popular?
Chico peaked in 1977, when 56 newborns received the name.
Is Chico a boy or girl name?
Chico is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Chico rising or falling?
Chico has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Chico?
Well-known people named Chico include Chico Buarque (musician), Chico Xavier (writer), Chico Mendes (social activist).