Eric

Eric - A very unique male name

Eric appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #526. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Eric and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Eric? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Eric. The baby boy name Eric was given to 1,222 baby boys in 2025, ranking #275 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,200 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Eric peaked in popularity 53 years ago in 1973 on position 13.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Eric, 1-5?

Eric is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Eric is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #183 - and is the least popular in Minnesota at position #530.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Eric is where you live.

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Eric origin and meaning

Old Norse

'Ever-ruler' or 'sole ruler' — from ei (ever/always) and ríkr (ruler)

Eric comes from Old Norse Eiríkr, the name of Viking kings and of Eric the Red, who led the Norse settlement of Greenland. It was a top US name through the 1970s — peaking in 1970 at nearly 24,000 births a year — and has been falling since, now at #275. It reads today as a familiar Gen-X name rather than a baby name.

Attested etymology

Eric is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Eric, pop culture references for the name Eric and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Eric

We've found the following names that sound similar to Eric, sorted by popularity.

Erik / Erick / Erich / Eros / Erica / Eryk / Erika / Errick / Eriq / Erek /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Eric

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Eric a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Eric?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

EH-rik · /ˈɛrɪk/

Around the world

• Erik (Scandinavian languages) — The spelling standard across Scandinavia and Germany
• Éric (French) — French spelling
• Eirik (Norwegian) — Norwegian form, closer to the Old Norse

Spellings and nicknames

• Erik — Scandinavian spelling
• Erick — Spelling with a final k added to Eric
• Erich — German spelling

Nicknames: Ric

Famous bearers

• Eric Clapton — British guitarist and singer, known for Cream, Layla and a long solo career (b. 1945) Contemporary
• Eric the Red — Norse explorer who founded the first Norse settlement in Greenland (c. 950–c. 1003) Historical
• Eric Idle — British comedian, member of Monty Python (b. 1943) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Eric is short, sturdy and known everywhere; parents choosing it now are reviving a 1970s standard well past its peak.

Worth knowing

• It feels dated to many ears — its peak year was 1970 — and the Eric/Erik/Erick spellings split its numbers.