Ricci
Primarily a boy's name of Italian origin with 879 recorded births. Also given to 854 girls.
Meaning & Origin
a surname
Ricci is a boy's and girl's baby name of Italian origin, from the Italian surname Ricci, meaning 'curly-haired' (from riccio, curl), used as a given name through the Italian tradition of using family surnames as first names. It is also a diminutive of Enrico or Federico.
As a given name, Ricci has a stylish, contemporary Italian quality — the kind of name that looks equally at home on a designer label or a football jersey. Christina Ricci — the actress known for her roles in The Addams Family and Sleepy Hollow — made this surname-as-name internationally recognizable.
EtymologyShow more
Though Ricci dates back to 1944 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Italian classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
Ricci’s 879 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Ricci has 53+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1944.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 17 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 47 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 127 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 113 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 195 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 350 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 25 | — |
The Story of Ricci
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1954, Ricci is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Boys named Ricci are most likely born between 1944 and 1964.
How rare is Ricci?
With 879 total births on record, Ricci remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1944, peaked in the 1950s with 350 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Ricci by the numbers
- Would fill 18 school buses
- Meeting one Ricci per day would take 2.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(53 years, 1944–2019)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 | #13709 |
| 2006 | 9 | #8584 |
| 2000 | 8 | #8045 |
| 1997 | 8 | #7135 |
| 1996 | 7 | #7794 |
| 1994 | 6 | #8577 |
| 1993 | 6 | #8468 |
| 1992 | 7 | #7233 |
| 1991 | 5 | #9315 |
| 1990 | 8 | #6288 |
| 1989 | 6 | #7699 |
| 1988 | 12 | #4111 |
| 1987 | 12 | #3918 |
| 1986 | 13 | #3612 |
| 1985 | 15 | #3186 |
| 1984 | 5 | #7091 |
| 1983 | 9 | #4420 |
| 1982 | 18 | #2680 |
| 1981 | 16 | #2867 |
| 1980 | 21 | #2428 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Ricci as a Girl's Name
Ricci is a true unisex name. As a girl's name, it has 854 recorded births since 1945.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ricci a boy's or girl's name?
When was Ricci most popular?
How popular is the name Ricci?
Can Ricci be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1944–2019