Caco as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Caco

What is the meaning of the name Caco ?

The baby name Caco is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced KAH-koo (Portuguese/Spanish), IPA: /ˈkaku/.

Caco is Portuguese, Spanish in Origin.

Caco is chiefly a Portuguese hypocoristic, used in Brazil and Portugal as a friendly short form of Carlos - and less often of Ricardo. As a derivative of Carlos (from Germanic Karl), it carries the sense “free man”; when standing for Ricardo (from Germanic Ric + hard), it echoes “powerful ruler.” The name appears mostly as a byname in the 20th and 21st centuries, especially in arts, journalism, and sports, and is only rarely registered as a formal given name.

Common variants include Cacá (Portuguese), the Brazilian-favored Kaká spelling, and close pet forms used alongside it. Feminine counterparts tied to the root names are Carla and Carlota (for Carlos) or Ricarda (for Ricardo). Note that in some Spanish-speaking regions caco is colloquial for “thief,” while in Italian caco means “persimmon,” associations that may influence perception outside Lusophone contexts.