Ricky

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A masculine first name, commonly a short form of Richard, used for people in English-speaking countries
2. A male given name derived from Richard, often used as a familiar nickname for a man called Richard
3. Used as a personal name for men, especially as a diminutive of the name Richard

Etymology: "Ricky" is a diminutive of "Rick," itself a short form of "Richard," so its story is really the story of a Germanic name that has travelled a long way. Richard comes from Proto-West Germanic elements meaning roughly "powerful" and "hardy" (the first from a root for "rule," the second from one meaning "hard" or "brave"). The name passed into Medieval Latin as "Richardus" and into Old French as "Richard," and reached English in its Middle English form "Rychard" before being shortened to "Rick." The "-y" ending is a familiar English diminutive suffix, the same one found in names like "Johnny" or "Billy," which turns a short name into an affectionate or informal form. Attaching it to "Rick" produced "Ricky," which became a common personal name for boys and men in English, especially as a friendly alternative to the fuller "Richard."