How to say it
ri · CAR · do
/rɪˈkɑːr.doʊ/
Masculine
Ricardo
Brave ruler
What it means
The Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian form of Richard, from the Germanic ric ('ruler') plus hard ('brave, strong').
Ricardo is the Romance-language form of Richard, from the Germanic ric, 'ruler,' and hard, 'brave,' so 'brave ruler' or 'strong leader.' It is a staple across Spain and Latin America, with bearers from actor Ricardo Montalbán to I Love Lucy's bandleader Ricky Ricardo. Ricky and Rico are the warm shorts. Same powerful root as Richard and the Italian Riccardo.
Popularity over time
peaked at #115 in 1992, currently #380 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Ricky and Rico are the shorts.
- Worth knowing
The Spanish Richard; a staple across Latino communities.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Ricardo Montalbán Mexican-American actor
- Ricky Ricardo the bandleader husband on I Love Lucy
Spelling variants
- Richard
- Riccardo
- Ricard
Names with the same feeling
See Ricardo from another angle
By meaning
By style