Rivarossi is a combination of two names, Riva and Rossi. Mr.Riva was an associate of a firm that made electrical commutators. When Alessandro Rossi bought part of the firm and made known his intention to build model railway products Mr.Riva left. Alessandro Rossi died in 2010.
Read the full Rivarossi story here. http://www.rivarossi-memory.it/ENGLISH_VERSION/index_Eng.htm