*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of Ricky

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs Proto-Celtic *rīxsbor. Proto-Germanic *rīks Proto-West Germanic *rīk Proto-Indo-European *kret-der.? Proto-Germanic *harduz P

1 source sectionExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 1 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗
name

A diminutive of the male given name Richard.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs Proto-Celtic *rīxsbor. Proto-Germanic *rīks Proto-West Germanic *rīk Proto-Indo-European *kret-der.? Proto-Germanic *harduz Proto-Indo-European *-yos Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Germanic *-jaz Proto-West Germanic *-ī Proto-West Germanic *hardu Proto-West Germanic *Rīkuhardu Old High German Rihhart Middle High German Rihardbor. Medieval Latin Richardusder. Old French Richardbor. Middle English Rycharde English Richardder. English Rick Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English Ricky From Rick + -y.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "Rick",
        "4": "-y<id:diminutive>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-s\nProto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs\nProto-Celtic *rīxsbor.\nProto-Germanic *rīks\nProto-West Germanic *rīk\nProto-Indo-European *kret-der.?\nProto-Germanic *harduz\nProto-Indo-European *-yos\nProto-Indo-European *-yós\nProto-Germanic *-jaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ī\nProto-West Germanic *hardu\nProto-West Germanic *Rīkuhardu\nOld High German Rihhart\nMiddle High German Rihardbor.\nMedieval Latin Richardusder.\nOld French Richardbor.\nMiddle English Rycharde\nEnglish Richardder.\nEnglish Rick\nProto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij-\nProto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish Ricky\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"male given name\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"king, ruler\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"king\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"king\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"king\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"to straighten\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₃reǵ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"lengthened acrostatic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-s\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₃rḗǵs\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Celtic\", \"term\" : \"*rīxs\", \"lang\" : \"cel-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*rīks\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*rīk\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" }, { \"alt\" : \"*hardu\", \"gloss\" : \"hard, brave\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"strong\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*kret-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*harduz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjective\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"-ed\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yos\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yós\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-jaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ī\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*hard(ī)\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*Rīkuhardu\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" }, { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old High German\", \"term\" : \"*rīh\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"goh\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old High German\", \"term\" : \"hart\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"goh\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"By surface analysis,\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\", \"is_invisible\" : \"tree\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old High German\", \"term\" : \"Rihhart\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"goh\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle High German\", \"term\" : \"Rihard\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmh\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Medieval Latin\", \"term\" : \"Richardus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la-med\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"Richard\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"Rycharde\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"Richard\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"Rick\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"diminutive\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"diminutive\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"diminutive\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-i, *-ī\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-j-, *-ij-\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-j-\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-i\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"Ricky\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"Ricky\">\nFrom Rick + -y."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "Rick",
        "4": "-y<id:diminutive>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-s\nProto-Indo-European *h₃rḗǵs\nProto-Celtic *rīxsbor.\nProto-Germanic *rīks\nProto-West Germanic *rīk\nProto-Indo-European *kret-der.?\nProto-Germanic *harduz\nProto-Indo-European *-yos\nProto-Indo-European *-yós\nProto-Germanic *-jaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ī\nProto-West Germanic *hardu\nProto-West Germanic *Rīkuhardu\nOld High German Rihhart\nMiddle High German Rihardbor.\nMedieval Latin Richardusder.\nOld French Richardbor.\nMiddle English Rycharde\nEnglish Richardder.\nEnglish Rick\nProto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij-\nProto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish Ricky\nFrom Rick + -y."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*h₃reǵ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₃reǵ-#Proto-Indo-European:_to_straighten"
    ],
    [
      "*-s",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-s#Proto-Indo-European:_lengthened_acrostatic"
    ],
    [
      "*h₃rḗǵs",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₃rḗǵs#Proto-Indo-European:_king"
    ],
    [
      "*rīxs",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/rīxs#Proto-Celtic:_king"
    ],
    [
      "*rīks",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/rīks#Proto-Germanic:_king"
    ],
    [
      "*rīk",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/rīk"
    ],
    [
      "*kret-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/kret-#Proto-Indo-European:_strong"
    ],
    [
      "*harduz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/harduz"
    ],
    [
      "*-yos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yos"
    ],
    [
      "*-yós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yós"
    ],
    [
      "*-jaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-jaz#Proto-Germanic:_-ed"
    ],
    [
      "*-ī",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ī#Proto-West_Germanic:_adjective"
    ],
    [
      "*hardu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/hard(ī)"
    ],
    [
      "*Rīkuhardu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/Rīkuhardu"
    ],
    [
      "Rihhart",
      "Rihhart#Old_High_German"
    ],
    [
      "Rihard",
      "Rihard#Middle_High_German"
    ],
    [
      "Richardus",
      "Richardus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "Richard",
      "Richard#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "Rycharde",
      "Rycharde#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "Richard",
      "Richard#English:_male_given_name"
    ],
    [
      "Rick",
      "Rick#English"
    ],
    [
      "*-j-, *-ij-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-j-"
    ],
    [
      "*-i, *-ī",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-i"
    ],
    [
      "-iġ",
      "-ig#Old_English:_diminutive"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#Middle_English:_diminutive"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_diminutive"
    ],
    [
      "Rick",
      "Rick#English"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_diminutive"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "name",
      "glosses": [
        "A diminutive of the male given name Richard."
      ],
      "tags": [],
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      "rawRecordSha256": "9430c4a93b3d6a17a7e6926663d61adb92ab488b924d7e1ebcf4395d94dc9df1",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 432530
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
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    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for Ricky →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-Umlja3k