Find out how popular the first name Rick has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Rick by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Rick is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Rick being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 42 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Rick.

The history of the first name Rick

The given name Rick is a shortened form of the Germanic name Richard, which is derived from the Old Germanic words "ric" meaning powerful or brave, and "hard" meaning hardy, strong, or brave. The name Richard was first recorded in the 8th century and was popularized across Europe by the Normans after they conquered England in 1066.

The origins of the name Rick can be traced back to the Old English name Ricard, which was eventually anglicized to Richard. It is believed that Rick emerged as a nickname or diminutive form of Richard sometime in the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rick can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror in 1086. Several individuals with the name Ric or Ricardus were listed in this document.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Rick or its variations. One of the most famous was Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199), who was King of England from 1189 until his death. Another prominent figure was Richard III (1452-1485), the last Plantagenet king of England, whose reign was marked by controversy and conflict.

In the realm of literature, the name Rick is associated with the character Rick Deckard from Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (1968), which was later adapted into the film "Blade Runner" (1982).

Other notable individuals with the name Rick include Rick Riordan (born 1964), the American author best known for the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series; Rick Astley (born 1966), the English singer-songwriter famous for his hit song "Never Gonna Give You Up"; and Rick Rubin (born 1963), the American record producer and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Rick was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rick, please contact us.

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