The first name Ricardo
A boy’s name from Portuguese.
Pronounced /ɹɪˈkɑɹdoʊ/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Portuguese origin
From Portuguese and Spanish Ricardo. Doublet of Richard.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 20 boys were named Ricardo, making it the 1,359th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1999, with 65 births (#356).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ricardo with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ricardo at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 833 boys born in the United States were named Ricardo, the 380th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1998, when 3,044 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Ricardo
176 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ricardo LagosChilean politician, president of Chile from 2000 to 2006
- Ricardo Martinelli36th president of Panama from 2009 to 2014
- Ricardo Alexandre dos SantosBrazilian association football player, born 1976
- Ricardo BochiniArgentine footballer, born 1954
- Ricardo ZontaBrazilian racing driver, born 1976
- Ricardo BofillCatalan architect (1939-2022)
- Ricardo OliveiraBrazilian football player, born 1980
- Ricardo Ezzati AndrelloArchbishop and cardinal, born 1942
- Ricardo GiustiArgentine footballer, born 1956
- Ricardo DarínArgentine actor, born 1957
- Ricardo La VolpeArgentine association football player and manager, born 1952
- Ricardo PepiAmerican soccer player, born 2003
Questions
- What does the name Ricardo mean?
- From Portuguese and Spanish Ricardo. Doublet of Richard.
- What is the origin of the name Ricardo?
- From Portuguese and Spanish Ricardo. Doublet of Richard.
- How popular is the name Ricardo?
- In 2025, 20 boys born in England and Wales were named Ricardo, ranking 1,359th. Its peak was 1999, with 65 births.
- Is Ricardo a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 147,169 US babies named Ricardo since 1880 were boys.
- When was Ricardo most popular?
- 1998 in the United States, when 3,044 babies were named Ricardo, its highest rank at 126th.
- How do you pronounce Ricardo?
- Ricardo is /ɹɪˈkɑɹdoʊ/, 3 syllables.
- Is Ricardo also a surname?
- Yes. Ricardo is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.