Ribaldo
A Portuguese masculine name derived from the word "ribaldo", meaning "dissolute" or "reckless".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Ribaldo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ribaldo today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ribaldo births was 2005 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ribaldo. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ribaldo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2005
8 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2005 SSA rank
#8,928
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Ribaldo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ribaldo by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ribaldo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ribaldo
The given name Ribaldo has its origins in the Spanish and Portuguese languages, with roots that can be traced back to the Medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the word "ribaldo," which means "scoundrel" or "rogue" in both languages.
This name's association with a less-than-flattering meaning may have been influenced by the cultural and societal norms of the time, when those perceived as mischievous or deviant were often labeled with such descriptors. However, over the centuries, the name has evolved and taken on a more nuanced and even endearing connotation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ribaldo can be found in the chronicles of the 12th-century Spanish historian and writer, Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada. He documented the exploits of a notable figure named Ribaldo, a knight who participated in the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign by Christian rulers to reclaim territories from Moorish control on the Iberian Peninsula.
In the realm of literature, the name Ribaldo makes an appearance in the renowned 16th-century Spanish novel, "La vida del Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades," commonly known as "Lazarillo de Tormes." The titular character encounters a character named Ribaldo, further solidifying the name's presence in the cultural fabric of that era.
Moving forward in history, a notable figure named Ribaldo Coutinho (1520-1585) emerged as a prominent Portuguese soldier and explorer. He played a significant role in the Portuguese colonization efforts in Brazil, serving as the first Captain-General of Rio de Janeiro from 1567 to 1573.
Another individual of note was Ribaldo de Alencar (1700-1778), a Brazilian military officer and landowner who participated in the defense of the city of Salvador against Dutch invaders during the 17th-century Dutch-Portuguese War.
In the realm of art, the Italian painter Ribaldo Ferramonti (1837-1901) gained recognition for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting everyday life in Italy during the late 19th century.
While the name Ribaldo may have initially carried a more negative connotation, its endurance throughout history and its association with notable individuals have imbued it with a sense of character and resilience. Despite its tumultuous past, the name has persevered and continues to be borne by individuals worldwide, a testament to its adaptability and the ever-evolving nature of language and culture.
People
Ribaldo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ribaldo as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ribaldo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ribaldo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ribaldo going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Ribaldo a common name?
We classify Ribaldo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ribaldo most popular?
The single biggest year for Ribaldo was 2005, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ribaldo is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ribaldo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ribaldo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ribaldo in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ribaldo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ribaldo in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ribaldo can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Ribaldo?
See how many Americans are named Ribaldo on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.