Ricks
A shortened version of the masculine name Richard, of Germanic origin meaning "powerful ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Ricks. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ricks today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ricks births was 1956 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ricks. 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
- • The typical person named Ricks is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ricks' were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ricks. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1956
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1956 SSA rank
#4,357
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Ricks: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ricks 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 Ricks during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ricks
The given name Ricks is derived from the Old English word "ric", which means "ruler" or "powerful". It has its roots in the Germanic languages and can be traced back to the 5th century AD. The name was popular among the Anglo-Saxons and was often given to those who held positions of authority or leadership.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ricks can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. The chronicle mentions a nobleman named Ricks who lived in the 7th century AD and was known for his valor in battle.
In the Middle Ages, the name Ricks gained popularity among the nobility and aristocracy. It was often associated with strength, courage, and resilience. Several notable individuals bore this name during this period, including Ricks the Fearless, a renowned knight who fought in the Crusades during the 12th century.
As time passed, the name Ricks evolved and took on various spellings, such as Ric, Rick, and Ricco. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, who was the King of England from 1189 to 1199. His bravery and military exploits during the Third Crusade cemented the name's association with valor and leadership.
In the 16th century, the name Ricks gained popularity in the Netherlands, where it was often spelled as Rix or Rijx. One notable figure from this time was Ricks van Lier, a Dutch artist and engraver who lived from 1570 to 1625 and was known for his intricate woodcut prints.
Another notable figure with the name Ricks was Ricks van Varick, a Dutch-American politician and lawyer who lived from 1752 to 1836. He played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War and later served as the Mayor of New York City and the Attorney General of New York State.
Throughout history, the name Ricks has been associated with strength, leadership, and resilience. It has been borne by notable individuals from various cultures and time periods, cementing its place as a name with a rich and meaningful heritage.
People
Ricks + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ricks 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
Ricks: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ricks?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ricks 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Ricks a common name?
We classify Ricks as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ricks most popular?
The single biggest year for Ricks was 1956, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ricks is about 67 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 Ricks in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ricks a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ricks 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 Ricks still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ricks 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 Ricks 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 are named Ricks?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.