Ricardo
rih-KAHR-doh
Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Richard, from the Old German Ricohard combining ric (“power” or “rule”) and hard (“strong,” “brave,” “hard”). The meaning is “powerful ruler” or “strong in rule.”
The name has been used in the Iberian Peninsula since the medieval period, when the Spanish were familiar with English and Norman royals named Richard. It became a mainstream masculine name across Latin America and Portugal.
Ricardo ranked No. 375 in 2024 with 865 births. It peaked at No. 115 in 1992 with 3,023 births, reflecting peak use in US Latino communities in the early 1990s.
What the name Ricardo means
Cuban-American television star Desi Arnaz, whose birth name was Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III, portrayed the character Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy — making that name variation iconic in American pop culture.
Mexican singer Ricardo Arjona is a prominent current Latin American bearer.
Three syllables — ree-KAR-doh — are warm and full. The name has a naturally confident sound in Spanish that requires no modification for formal contexts.
Parents in Spanish-speaking families who want a classic masculine name with royal English roots expressed in Spanish form consistently choose Ricardo.
Related forms include Richard (English), Riccardo (Italian), Rikard (Scandinavian), and Rickard (Swedish). All share the same Old German power-rule meaning.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Ricardo
Ricardo - similar names
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