UK name, mostly boys
Rikki
A diminutive or pet name derived from the English name Fredrick.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 135 girls.
Rikki is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Rikki popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4747, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 24 births.
This profile covers 85 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1996 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 229 living people in the UK are called Rikki. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rikki ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 24 boys were registered as Rikki.
- • Rikki ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #344 in 2002.
- • Rikki is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 229 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rikki as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 61.4% of Rikki registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4747
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
24 births
Estimated living
229
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Rikki
In England and Wales birth records, Rikki has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 38.6% of registrations are for boys and 61.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Rikki registered for boys
- Ranked #4,747 in 2015
- 3 boys registered in 2015
- Peak: 1996 (24 births)
Rikki registered for girls
- Ranked #2,771 in 2024
- 9 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 1997 (19 births)
Meaning
What does Rikki mean?
The name Rikki is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which was the classical language of ancient India and the liturgical language of Hinduism and Buddhism. It is thought to be a diminutive or shortened form of the Sanskrit name Rishikesh, which means "lord of the senses" or "sacred hairs."
In Sanskrit literature, the name Rishikesh is associated with the Hindu god Vishnu and is also the name of a famous pilgrimage town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The town of Rishikesh is located in the Himalayan foothills and is revered for its spiritual significance, with many ashrams and temples located along the banks of the sacred Ganges River.
The earliest recorded use of the name Rikki can be traced back to the late 19th century, when it appeared as a character in Rudyard Kipling's famous book "The Jungle Book." In the book, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is the name of a brave and resourceful mongoose who protects a family from a pair of venomous cobras.
One of the earliest notable figures to bear the name Rikki was Rikki Fulton, a Scottish comedian and actor who was born in 1924 and passed away in 2004. He was known for his iconic comedy sketches and appearances on British television.
Another famous Rikki was Rikki Leander, a Swedish actress and singer who was born in 1935 and died in 2003. She was a prominent figure in the Swedish film industry and was known for her roles in several popular musicals.
In the world of music, Rikki Rockett is the name of the drummer for the American rock band Poison. He was born in 1961 and has been a member of the band since its formation in the early 1980s.
Rikki Lee Travolta is an American actress and singer who was born in 1981. She is the daughter of actor John Travolta and has appeared in several films and television shows.
Finally, Rikki Don't Lose That Number is the title of a popular song by the American rock band Steely Dan, released in 1974. The song's catchy name helped to popularize the name Rikki in the United States and other parts of the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rikki over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Rikki in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rikki, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 24 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rikki by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rikki was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4691 | 9 | 3 |
| 2000s | #2922 | 29 | 6 |
| 1990s | #1116 | 47 | 3 |
Geography
Where Rikki is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rikki. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Rikki ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #344 in 2002.
Across the UK
Rikki in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#344 in 2002
21 years of NRS records, 148 total registered
Related
Names similar to Rikki
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Rikki: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rikki in the UK right now?
In 2015, Rikki was ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rikki most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 24 babies registered as Rikki in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rikki?
A diminutive or pet name derived from the English name Fredrick.
How many people are called Rikki in the UK?
A total of 85 babies have been registered as Rikki across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 148 more in Scotland.
Where is Rikki most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Rikki ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #344 in 2002. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.