Custom image of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead & The Ones Who Live

Having first made his televised debut in 2010, Rick Grimes became one of the most memorable TV characters of all time, but The Walking Dead‘s protagonist has secretly had a different name this entire time. Rick’s Walking Dead journey has been full of ups and downs, as the character has experienced incredible loss throughout his time in the apocalypse, but he’s also been part of some truly wholesome moments. After finally gaining his freedom from the CRM, the protagonist reunited with Michonne, Judith, and RJ in The Ones Who Live‘s final scene, bringing the Grimes family together.

The scene was the first time all four characters had shared a screen together, and it was a tremendous payoff given Andrew Lincoln exited The Walking Dead in 2018. The reunion was a perfect way to wrap up his story and, given everything the audience has learned about Rick during the last 14 years, it feels like the franchise has explored almost every aspect of his personality, meaning there is almost nothing left to uncover about the character. However, over a decade after his first appearance, it seems most people still don’t even know the protagonist’s real name.

Rick’s Name In The Walking Dead Is Actually Richard D. Grimes

A College Diploma Confirmed The Protagonist Isn’t Actually Called Rick

Despite Rick Grimes receiving a variety of nicknames from other characters alongside the audience, his real name is actually Richard D. Grimes. While Rick being a shortened version of Richard is fairly common, it’s something that flies completely under the radar in The Walking Dead, considering the protagonist is never referred to by his official name. However, a prop of the character’s college diploma was auctioned off and revealed that “Richard D. Grimes” graduated from Georgia Central University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree, confirming that the character’s full name had been kept a relative secret.

With the diploma being an official item sold by AMC, this appears to be canon, which is actually a huge revelation considering the auction took place in 2022. Therefore, fans were left in the dark about the protagonist’s real name for 12 years – or even longer for fans of the comics – proving how surprising this reveal is. The franchise’s hardcore audience likely knows most of the significant Walking Dead facts regarding Rick Grimes, but the quiet announcement of this major detail proves that there could still be a lot of hidden information about Officer Friendly.

The Walking Dead ‘s main series officially ended on November 20, 2022.

Rick’s Real Name Risks A Walking Dead Plot Hole

No Character Ever Called Rick His Real Name Throughout The Entire Apocalypse

Rick Grimes in the final The Walking Dead The Ones Who Live trailer

Although it isn’t a show-defining plot hole, the confirmation that Rick’s real name is Richard raises questions as to why no one ever referred to the protagonist by his birth name. Considering how long Rick spent with the CRM, it’s likely that Thorn, Okafor, or potentially Beale would have learned about his true name, and one of them surely would have called him Richard given the military’s more formal approach. In addition, someone like Michonne or Carl could have also jokingly called him Richard, whereas Shane or Lori could have mentioned the name in a more serious setting.

It makes sense that someone like Negan may not know his real name, but his long-term allies would surely have learned this subtle detail, making it all the more shocking it was never brought up during his entire Walking Dead run.

The fact that every character chose to ignore this seems a little baffling considering how long some characters have spent with him. It makes sense that someone like Negan may not know his real name, but his long-term allies would surely have learned this subtle detail, making it all the more shocking it was never brought up during his entire Walking Dead run. Whether this is a small plot hole or an intentional choice is something only the writers know for sure, but it’s clear Richard D. Grimes may still have a few more secrets to be uncovered.