What does Riccardo mean?
Riccardo is the Italian form of Richard, “brave ruler.”
What does Nicola mean?
Nicola is the Italian form of Nicholas — a boys’ name in Italy, “victory of the people.”
Riccardo vs Nicola
Which is more popular?
Nicola is more popular than Riccardo today: about 28 US babies were given the name Nicola in 2025, compared with 16 named Riccardo.
| Riccardo | Nicola | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Brave ruler | Victory of the people |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | rik-KAR-doh | nee-KOH-lah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1913 | 1908 |
| Peak year | 1979 (37) | 1972 (53) |
| In 2025 | 16 | 28 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Riccardo
Nicola
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Riccardo | Nicola |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 80 | 190 |
| 2010s | 130 | 245 |
| 2000s | 132 | 349 |
| 1990s | 197 | 413 |
| 1980s | 258 | 320 |
| 1970s | 270 | 441 |
| 1960s | 244 | 335 |
| 1950s | 206 | 159 |
| 1940s | 40 | 84 |
| 1930s | 7 | 85 |
| 1920s | 7 | 188 |
| 1910s | 5 | 197 |
| 1900s | 0 | 6 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Riccardo or Nicola more popular?
Nicola is more popular than Riccardo today: about 28 US babies were given the name Nicola in 2025, compared with 16 named Riccardo.
What is the difference between Riccardo and Nicola?
Riccardo means Brave ruler (Italian origin), while Nicola means Victory of the people (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Riccardo or Nicola?
In US records, Riccardo first appears in 1913 and Nicola in 1908, so Nicola has the longer recorded history.