Where does the name Eric come from?

Eric is a boy name of Old Norse origin.

Is Eric a boy or a girl name?

Eric is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Eric are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Eric in 2023?

Eric ranks #227 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1970 with 23,719 babies.

How do you pronounce Eric?

Eric is pronounced AIR-ik (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Eric?

Eric is also written as Erik, Erich, Erico.

A name from Old Norse · Boy

Eric

From Old Norse Eiríkr — ei ('ever, always') + ríkr ('ruler, king'); literally 'eternal ruler'. Erik the Red led the Norse settlement of Greenland in the late 10th century.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

886,229 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,547 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

EFrom Old Norse Eiríkr — ei ('ever, always') + ríkr ('ruler, king'); literally 'eternal ruler'. Erik the Red led the Norse settlement of Greenland in the late 10th century.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Eric".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Erik Most common Erich Erico

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Eric.

E
Eric the Red (Norse explorer)
E
Eric Clapton (musician)
E
Eric Bana (actor)

Quick answers

People often ask about Eric.

What does the name Eric mean?: Eric means from Old Norse Eiríkr — ei ('ever, always') + ríkr ('ruler, king'); literally 'eternal ruler'. Erik the Red led the Norse settlement of Greenland in the late 10th century.
Where does the name Eric come from?: Eric is a boy name of Old Norse origin.
Is Eric a boy or a girl name?: Eric is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Eric are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Eric in 2023?: Eric ranks #227 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1970 with 23,719 babies.
How do you pronounce Eric?: Eric is pronounced AIR-ik (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Eric?: Eric is also written as Erik, Erich, Erico.

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Strong, firm, enduring

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.