Erika

Erika - A very unique female name

Erika appeared on the charts for the first time in 1926 on position #1847. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Erika and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Erika? 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 Erika. The baby girl name Erika was given to 176 baby girls in 2025, ranking #1073 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 7,406 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Erika peaked in popularity 37 years ago in 1989 on position 73.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Erika, 1-5?

Erika is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Erika is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #558 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,893.

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 Erika is where you live.

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Erika origin and meaning

Germanic and Scandinavian — feminine of Erik

Feminine form of Erik/Eric, from Old Norse Eiríkr — ei, 'ever, always', and ríkr, 'ruler' — 'eternal ruler'

Erika is the feminine form of Erik in German and Scandinavian use, with the k spelling marking it off from the English Erica. It peaked in the United States in 1990.

Attested etymology

Erika is a 5 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Erika

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

Erica / Ericka / Eric / Eris / Erykah / Eryka / Eureka / Erick / Erik / Erikka /

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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 Erika

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 Erika 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 female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Erika?

3 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

AIR-ik-uh · /ˈɛrɪkə/

Around the world

• Erika (German) — The standard German feminine form.
• Erika (Swedish) — Used as-is in Swedish.
• Erika (Japanese) — A coincidental Japanese name with the same romanisation, unrelated in origin.

Spellings and nicknames

• Erica — The standard English spelling — a separate, more common name.
• Ericka — Another established spelling.

Nicknames: RikaEri

Famous bearers

• Erika Jayne — American singer and television personality, born Erika Girardi (b. 1971) Contemporary
• Erika Eleniak — American actress, known for Baywatch (b. 1969) Contemporary

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Erika has a crisp, international feel and a 1980s–90s American heyday behind it. The k spelling gives it a European note.

Worth knowing

• Erica is the spelling most Americans default to.
• It can read as a 1980s–90s name.