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Ricardo as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ricardo

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The baby name Ricardo is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ree-KAR-doh (Spanish: /riˈkaɾ.do/, English: /rɪˈkɑr.doʊ/).

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Pronunciation: ree-KAR-doh (Spanish: /riˈkaɾ.do/, English: /rɪˈkɑr.doʊ/)

What is the meaning of the name Ricardo ?

The baby name Ricardo is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ree-KAR-doh (Spanish: /riˈkaɾ.do/, English: /rɪˈkɑr.doʊ/).

Ricardo is in Origin.

Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Richard, from the Old High German elements ric (“ruler, power”) and hard (“brave, hardy”), yielding the sense “powerful ruler” or “brave leader.” It traveled into Iberia via medieval Norman and Frankish influence and became standard in both Castilian and Portuguese naming traditions, later spreading widely across Latin America and the Philippines through Iberian colonial networks.

Variants include Richard (English), Riccardo (Italian), Ryszard (Polish), Rikard (Scandinavian), Ricard (Catalan), and feminine Ricarda/Richarda. Short forms and nicknames: Rick, Ricky/Riqui, Richi (Spain), Rico, and in Portuguese Ricardinho. The name maintains steady use in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries and gained visibility internationally via figures such as actor Ricardo Montalbán, singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona, and footballers Ricardo Carvalho and Ricardo Quaresma. In the U.S., Ricardo has charted since the early 20th century, reflecting Hispanic communities, while keeping a classic, pan-Iberian character.

Ricardo has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Ricardo

Ricardo Lagos Politician · Born 1938 · Chile Ricardo Lagos is best known as the president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. A Chilean lawyer, economist, and social-democratic politician, he also became widely known in the 1980s as a prominent opponent of the military dictatorship, especially after publicly denouncing Augusto Pinochet on live television in 1988. Ricardo Martinelli Politician · Born 1952 · Italy Ricardo Martinelli is best known as the 36th president of Panama, serving from 2009 to 2014. He is a Panamanian politician and businessman, and in 2024 he was sentenced to ten years in prison for embezzlement of public funds and money laundering tied to the 2010 purchase of several Panamanian media outlets using public money. Ricardo Montalbán Actor · Born 1920 · Mexico Ricardo Montalbán was a Mexican actor best known for his role as Mr. Roarke on the television series Fantasy Island. He also played Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Montalbán's career spanned several decades, showcasing his versatility in both film and television.
Ricardo Darín Actor · Born 1957 · Spain Ricardo Darín is an acclaimed Argentine actor best known as one of the biggest stars in Argentine cinema. He became widely recognized through film and TV, with standout roles in The Secret in Their Eyes, Nine Queens, and Wild Tales. Ricardo Arjona Actor|musician · Born 1964 · Guatemala Ricardo Arjona is a Guatemalan singer-songwriter best known as one of Latin America's biggest music stars. He has sold more than 20 million records, with popular songs including "Mujeres," "Historia de Taxi," and "Fuiste Tú." Ricardo Cortez Actor · Born 1900 · United States Ricardo Cortez was an American actor and film director best known for his work in Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s, including The Maltese Falcon, Secret Agent X-9, and Phantom Lady. Born Jacob Kranze or Jacob Krantz, he was also credited early in his career as Jack Crane.

Celebrity babies named Ricardo

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Ricardo Zamora De Grassa Ricardo Zamora association footballer ★★★★★

Ricardo – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Boys 2022 #1 — 427
Ireland Boys 2024 #1 — 820
PT Boys 0 #5 25,342 7,951
FJ 0 #6 1 374
JM Boys 0 #6 1,324 6,876
MU Boys 0 #6 6,019 8,477
MU 0 #8 469 3,613
PA Boys 0 #8 6,959 9,305
PA 0 #8 256 3,797
PT 0 #8 1,844 4,161
JM 0 #9 114 3,714
SV 0 #11 1 283
HT 0 #12 1 399
PR 0 #14 48 1,497
BW 0 #16 4 960
HT Boys 0 #16 19 903
HN 0 #18 5 704
MX Boys 0 #18 52,890 16,355
MX 0 #20 1,556 8,339
NA 0 #21 13 2,537
PR Boys 0 #22 395 2,508
SV Boys 0 #23 6 352
JP Boys 0 #24 574 7,909
PE Boys 0 #24 19,436 14,506
CL Boys 0 #26 25,701 13,390
PE 0 #26 632 6,350
AR Boys 0 #27 7,371 7,628
BR Boys 0 #27 21,892 12,213
AO 0 #28 56 2,729
AO Boys 0 #29 566 5,568
CR Boys 0 #29 3,607 10,188
LU Boys 0 #29 420 4,970
BR 0 #31 886 5,969
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
CR 0 #34 158 5,526
CO Boys 0 #35 36,832 15,656
CL 0 #36 1,714 6,867
HN Boys 0 #37 16 749
BO Boys 0 #39 5,891 9,244
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
BO 0 #40 761 6,868
JP 0 #40 38 4,057
MO 0 #41 12 2,706
MT 0 #41 3 1,767
LU 0 #42 25 2,830
EC Boys 0 #43 598 3,322
GT Boys 0 #43 2,507 7,625
UY Boys 0 #43 3,947 5,922
CO 0 #48 2,405 7,768
Spain Boys 0 #48 18,390 5,610
EC 0 #50 69 2,502
CM 0 #55 2 2,592
GT 0 #62 392 5,948
NA Boys 0 #71 207 6,830
PH 0 #77 20 5,607
AR 0 #78 122 2,915
Spain 0 #78 1,011 2,326
MV Boys 0 #78 2 3,375
CN 0 #80 7 3,857
UY 0 #83 105 2,477
QA 0 #86 15 7,011
OM 0 #107 10 6,215
HU 0 #114 2 1,675
NL Boys 0 #115 4,123 5,873
KW 0 #117 5 5,216
BW Boys 0 #122 28 4,685
EE Boys 0 #122 4 2,087
CY Girls 0 #125 1 3,755
ID Boys 0 #127 9 4,130
MO Boys 0 #129 98 5,842
AZ Boys 0 #130 2 1,400
BN Boys 0 #131 9 6,332
Switzerland Boys 2024 #134 4 1,769
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
PH Boys 0 #135 330 11,440
Norway Boys 1998 #136 5 495
ZA Boys 0 #146 4,385 25,619
LT Boys 0 #149 3 2,166
AE 0 #151 27 10,220
ZA 0 #151 334 14,421
RS Boys 0 #152 3 2,277
HU Boys 0 #153 22 3,954
PR Girls 0 #166 2 3,171
MT Boys 0 #167 10 4,064
HR 0 #180 2 2,081
CZ 0 #182 5 3,154
Sweden Boys 2016 #187 6 1,526
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
RU 0 #193 2 3,641
DK 0 #198 9 5,198
Belgium Boys 2007 #205 21 408
PL 0 #209 4 2,600
SI Boys 0 #209 3 3,402
AO Girls 0 #210 8 4,575
BG Boys 0 #210 10 3,850
NL 0 #221 183 2,481
PS 0 #224 3 5,692
IR 0 #228 4 4,221
TW Boys 0 #229 13 7,111
NA Girls 0 #233 5 7,146
Germany Boys 0 #240 1,702 5,697
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
HR Boys 0 #242 17 3,997
GH 0 #245 4 5,396
JM Girls 0 #247 13 7,507
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
GR Boys 0 #257 11 6,912
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
SG 0 #258 12 11,010
CN Boys 0 #261 60 9,639
SA 0 #261 35 10,560
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
NG 0 #267 6 5,926
CZ Boys 0 #271 34 6,530
IL 0 #275 8 6,291
PL Boys 0 #275 61 6,459
CM Boys 0 #291 328 12,054
KZ Boys 0 #291 6 6,578
Canada Boys 2024 #293 14 2,588
DK Boys 0 #293 33 7,401
AL Boys 0 #295 9 5,122
Austria Boys 0 #325 120 2,180
GH Boys 0 #330 16 8,138
MU Girls 0 #334 18 8,539
United States Boys 2024 #342 865 7,044
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
MY 0 #347 8 12,352
HK 0 #351 7 8,483
Germany 0 #352 87 2,542
France Boys 2021 #360 28 2,865
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
JO Boys 0 #384 6 7,057
PT Girls 0 #388 64 7,952
Finland Boys 0 #395 33 2,041
YE 0 #396 3 8,639
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
EG 0 #411 2 6,387
OM Girls 0 #421 4 15,987
PH Girls 0 #427 3 13,098
SD Boys 0 #427 19 10,523
IT Boys 0 #434 2,348 10,046
PA Girls 0 #434 48 9,861
HK Boys 0 #449 79 12,905
PS Boys 0 #472 77 10,655
RU Boys 0 #476 30 12,621
GT Girls 0 #484 22 7,500
UY Girls 0 #495 16 6,731
IL Boys 0 #503 105 10,983
CR Girls 0 #511 22 11,342
LB 0 #512 147 13,263
BH 0 #513 41 17,937
LY 0 #518 18 12,703
RU Girls 0 #518 6 11,913
IR Boys 0 #522 31 10,162
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
AR Girls 0 #553 47 8,289
KW Girls 0 #553 9 19,177
QA Boys 0 #557 151 18,093
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
BO Girls 0 #568 44 9,488
Finland Boys 2026 #579 104 3,552
SG Boys 0 #586 112 17,960
IT 0 #587 129 4,183
AE Girls 0 #594 4 20,968
BD Boys 0 #600 6 10,045
SG Girls 0 #632 1 18,916
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
IQ Boys 0 #644 24 13,071
HK Girls 0 #650 1 16,104
KW Boys 0 #657 113 18,755
CL Girls 0 #701 151 14,098
SY 0 #714 15 11,684
TN 0 #756 74 13,765
BR Girls 0 #772 171 12,708
OM Boys 0 #779 103 17,948
SA Boys 0 #821 1,051 28,008
NG Girls 0 #824 3 15,093
PE Girls 0 #845 99 14,861
EG Boys 0 #846 41 15,035
AE Boys 0 #853 241 22,615
CO Girls 0 #864 218 16,140
MX Girls 0 #866 333 17,781
NG Boys 0 #881 71 16,906
Spain Girls 0 #892 92 5,561
United States Girls 2005 #919 6 9,844
SA Girls 0 #920 16 25,931
NL Girls 0 #941 15 5,933
MA 0 #955 174 20,986
MY Boys 0 #996 116 25,439
IN Boys 0 #1,032 8 16,750
DZ 0 #1,053 124 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,057 85 25,928
MY Girls 0 #1,069 4 24,821
TR 0 #1,105 107 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,420 27 9,415

Ricardo is popular in 92 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
Norway
Switzerland
United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Ricardo

Ricardo is predominantly a boy's name.
Ricardo is a 3 syllable name, pronounced ree-KAR-doh (Spanish: /riˈkaɾ.do/, English: /rɪˈkɑr.doʊ/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Ricard (Catalan), Riccardo (Italian), Rikardo, Rico (diminutive), Ricky (diminutive) and Richie (diminutive).
Across languages, Ricardo has these equivalents: Richard (English/French), Riccardo (Italian), Ryszard (Polish), Richárd (Hungarian), Rikard (Scandinavian), and 2 more.
Yes, very popular — Ricardo ranked #1 in Germany in 2022, and appears in official birth registries across 11 countries.
Ricardo ranks highest in Germany (#1 in 2022).
Ricardo's popularity is declining. It moved from #354 in 2011 to #360 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 6 notable people named Ricardo are in our database, including Ricardo Lagos (Politician), Ricardo Martinelli (Politician), Ricardo Montalbán (Actor).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Ricardo for their child, including Ricardo Zamora.