Ricky is a primarily male given name, most commonly used in English and Spanish-speaking countries as a diminutive (hypocorism) of Richard, as well as other names such as Frederick, Derrick, Roderick, Enrique, Patrick, Ricardo, Erica, or Eric. Its core link to Richard anchors the name in Old German roots: the element rih meaning "ruler" and hart meaning "brave, hardy," giving Richard the meaning "brave ruler." This origin was carried into England by the Normans after the 11th-century conquest, where Richard became a staple, borne by three kings and ranked among the top five male names in the late Middle Ages.