Ricky
A diminutive of the male given name Richard.
Every Ricky since 1925 — 225,089 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ricky
Ricky is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #949 in 2025 with 248 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1925, 225,089 American babies have been named Ricky. Its peak came in 1958, when 13,424 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Ricky stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ricky year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #7,420 | 248 | #949 |
| 2024 | 10 | #10,112 | 302 | #828 |
| 2023 | 7 | #13,184 | 270 | #873 |
| 2022 | 12 | #8,944 | 292 | #836 |
| 2021 | — | — | 323 | #773 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,421 | 366 | #697 |
| 2019 | 9 | #11,206 | 402 | #658 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10,412 | 368 | #680 |
| 2017 | 12 | #9,235 | 366 | #683 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,653 | 448 | #602 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,772 | 478 | #582 |
| 2014 | — | — | 540 | #518 |
| 2013 | — | — | 552 | #495 |
| 2012 | — | — | 592 | #459 |
| 2011 | 6 | #16,367 | 590 | #455 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14,657 | 595 | #450 |
| 2009 | 10 | #11,312 | 700 | #416 |
| 2008 | 7 | #15,067 | 851 | #365 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12,448 | 823 | #373 |
| 2006 | 7 | #14,798 | 760 | #396 |
| 2005 | — | — | 769 | #376 |
| 2004 | 18 | #6,703 | 786 | #358 |
| 2003 | — | — | 799 | #349 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10,903 | 802 | #342 |
| 2001 | 7 | #13,177 | 858 | #326 |
| 2000 | 11 | #9,027 | 1,025 | #294 |
| 1995 | 16 | #5,886 | 1,227 | #237 |
| 1990 | 14 | #6,383 | 1,759 | #176 |
| 1985 | 27 | #3,309 | 1,932 | #145 |
| 1980 | 25 | #3,393 | 2,232 | #122 |
| 1975 | 31 | #2,553 | 1,918 | #135 |
| 1970 | 30 | #2,501 | 3,092 | #105 |
| 1965 | 28 | #2,286 | 5,659 | #57 |
| 1960 | 66 | #1,362 | 11,000 | #38 |
| 1955 | 34 | #1,831 | 8,329 | #46 |
| 1950 | 32 | #1,672 | 2,107 | #128 |
| 1945 | 21 | #1,865 | 523 | #252 |
| 1940 | — | — | 48 | #927 |
| 1935 | — | — | 19 | #1,640 |
| 1930 | — | — | 11 | #2,572 |
| 1925 | — | — | 6 | #4,110 |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ricky
- Ricky Nelson Singer · 1940–1985
- Ricky Gervais Comedian · b. 1961
- Ricky Martin Singer · b. 1971
- Ricky Bruch Actor · 1946–2011
- Ricky Jay Magician · 1946–2018
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ricky mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Richard.
How popular is the name Ricky in 2025?
Ricky ranked #949 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 248 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ricky?
225,089 babies have been named Ricky in the United States since 1925, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ricky most popular?
Ricky peaked in 1958, when 13,424 newborns received the name.
Is Ricky a boy or girl name?
Ricky is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ricky rising or falling?
Ricky is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ricky?
Well-known people named Ricky include Ricky Nelson (singer), Ricky Gervais (comedian), Ricky Martin (singer).