What surname do Lucy and Ricky share on I Love Lucy?

Lucy and Ricky share the surname Ricardo on I Love Lucy.

Lucille Ball plays Lucy Ricardo, while Desi Arnaz plays her husband, Ricky Ricardo. The Ricardos are the central married couple of the series, living in a New York City apartment with their friends and landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz. Ricky is a Cuban-American singer and bandleader, while Lucy is a housewife who repeatedly schemes to enter show business.

Lucy’s maiden name is McGillicuddy, so her full character name is commonly given as Lucille Esmeralda “Lucy” McGillicuddy Ricardo. Ricky’s full name is presented in different forms during the series, including Ricardo Alberto Fernando Ricardo y de Acha and Enrique Alberto Fernando Ricardo y de Acha III.

The wrong options reflect nearby names from the show’s world. Xavier Cugat was a real bandleader whose orchestra is part of Ricky’s backstory, while the Mertzes are Fred and Ethel, the Ricardos’ friends and landlords. Cooper is not the couple’s surname.

Their son, Little Ricky, also carries the Ricardo name, reinforcing the family surname at the heart of the series.