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Ricki

Boy / Girl name · 29 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Ricki: 29 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 7 births in 1989.

Ricki is primarily a diminutive of Richard, which comes from the Old Germanic elements “ric” (ruler or power) and “hard” (brave or strong), giving the full name its meaning of “brave ruler.” As a standalone given name, Ricki gained popularity in the mid‑20th century and is used for both boys and girls. The American television host and actress Ricki Lake brought the name into the spotlight with her long‑running talk show, while New Zealand footballer Ricki Herbert is known for captaining his country at the 1982 World Cup. No major place bears the name directly, though the spelling variant Rikki is sometimes associated with the mongoose character from Rudyard Kipling’s “Rikki‑Tikki‑Tavi.” In Scotland, Ricki has been a consistent, if modest, choice for baby boys since the 1970s, occasionally appearing for girls too.