Fun Facts About the Name Erik
- A favorite of earlier generations: Erik appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 23 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1994 through 1994.
- More than 158 thousand babies named Erik: U.S. records list 158,115 babies given the name Erik from 1880 through 2025. Even 666 girls received the name Erik - about 1 girl for every 236 boys.
What Does the Name Erik Mean?
Erik is a Scandinavian masculine name commonly explained as 'ever ruler' or 'eternal ruler.' Its source is the Old Norse name Eiríkr, formed from ríkr ('ruler, mighty') and a first element usually identified as ei ('ever'). Some writers connect that first element instead with einn ('one, alone'), yielding 'sole ruler.' The 'eternal ruler' wording is a customary interpretation of the 'ever ruler' sense, not a separate literal translation.
Erik Name History & Origins
The name is attested in medieval Scandinavia as Old Norse Eiríkr. It was borne by several early rulers, including Erik the Red (Eiríkr rauði), the 10th-century Norse explorer remembered in the Icelandic sagas as the founder of the Greenland settlement, and Erik Segersäll ('Eric the Victorious'), a late 10th-century Swedish king known mainly from later medieval chronicles. In medieval Latin documents, the name appears as Ericus.
From Old Norse, the name developed into the forms used in the Nordic countries: Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian Erik; Icelandic Eiríkur. The German cognate is Erich, and the standard English form is usually Eric, though Erik is also common in English-speaking countries. In Sweden, the name had strong royal associations: Saint Erik (Erik IX) was killed in 1160 and became a national saint, and several later Swedish kings were named Erik. Danish and Norwegian royal lines also included kings named Erik. Swedish influence in Finland produced Finnish forms such as Eerikki and Erkki.
In English, the name appears in the title of Frederic W. Farrar's 1858 school novel Eric, or Little by Little.
How Popular is the Name Erik?
Erik recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1980. Erik ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1971 through 1992, then returned in 1994 and remained through 1994.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | #14,305 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #16,112 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #17,299 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #11,966 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #16,554 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #9,385 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #13,202 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #11,511 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #14,446 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #9,033 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #7,679 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #4,281 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1993 | #6,373 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #5,809 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1991 | #6,721 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #7,472 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #5,114 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,218 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1987 | #3,547 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1986 | #3,579 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1985 | #3,348 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1984 | #3,102 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1983 | #2,930 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1982 | #3,038 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1981 | #3,652 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1980 | #2,358 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 1979 | #3,809 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1978 | #4,125 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1977 | #4,111 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1976 | #3,718 | 18 | 0.0012% |
| 1975 | #3,998 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1974 | #3,035 | 23 | 0.0016% |
| 1973 | #3,265 | 20 | 0.0014% |
| 1972 | #3,761 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1971 | #4,900 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #3,627 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1969 | #3,836 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1968 | #3,083 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1967 | #3,902 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #4,604 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #3,454 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1964 | #7,068 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #546 | 549 | 0.0321% |
| 2024 | #476 | 644 | 0.0375% |
| 2023 | #454 | 679 | 0.0397% |
| 2022 | #432 | 716 | 0.0410% |
| 2021 | #441 | 699 | 0.0400% |
| 2020 | #422 | 708 | 0.0410% |
| 2019 | #384 | 815 | 0.0454% |
| 2018 | #379 | 854 | 0.0470% |
| 2017 | #368 | 900 | 0.0486% |
| 2016 | #355 | 948 | 0.0500% |
| 2015 | #338 | 1,018 | 0.0531% |
| 2014 | #329 | 1,037 | 0.0540% |
| 2013 | #311 | 1,105 | 0.0584% |
| 2012 | #290 | 1,222 | 0.0644% |
| 2011 | #277 | 1,266 | 0.0667% |
| 2010 | #256 | 1,337 | 0.0697% |
| 2009 | #233 | 1,555 | 0.0784% |
| 2008 | #213 | 1,795 | 0.0880% |
| 2007 | #199 | 2,028 | 0.0977% |
| 2006 | #189 | 2,131 | 0.1037% |
| 2005 | #183 | 2,228 | 0.1116% |
| 2004 | #172 | 2,365 | 0.1192% |
| 2003 | #158 | 2,550 | 0.1291% |
| 2002 | #156 | 2,460 | 0.1267% |
| 2001 | #155 | 2,574 | 0.1325% |
| 2000 | #143 | 2,721 | 0.1385% |
| 1999 | #139 | 2,723 | 0.1418% |
| 1998 | #140 | 2,676 | 0.1400% |
| 1997 | #134 | 2,857 | 0.1516% |
| 1996 | #122 | 3,020 | 0.1594% |
| 1995 | #111 | 3,432 | 0.1803% |
| 1994 | #99 | 3,746 | 0.1939% |
| 1993 | #105 | 3,488 | 0.1778% |
| 1992 | #98 | 3,816 | 0.1911% |
| 1991 | #95 | 3,891 | 0.1926% |
| 1990 | #96 | 3,955 | 0.1926% |
| 1989 | #95 | 3,628 | 0.1813% |
| 1988 | #92 | 3,478 | 0.1817% |
| 1987 | #94 | 3,231 | 0.1731% |
| 1986 | #92 | 3,110 | 0.1689% |
| 1985 | #87 | 3,372 | 0.1824% |
| 1984 | #84 | 3,422 | 0.1896% |
| 1983 | #80 | 3,636 | 0.2028% |
| 1982 | #80 | 3,633 | 0.2002% |
| 1981 | #76 | 3,922 | 0.2189% |
| 1980 | #64 | 4,914 | 0.2754% |
| 1979 | #66 | 4,638 | 0.2694% |
| 1978 | #85 | 3,262 | 0.1987% |
| 1977 | #94 | 2,786 | 0.1695% |
| 1976 | #94 | 2,755 | 0.1756% |
| 1975 | #87 | 2,855 | 0.1828% |
| 1974 | #90 | 2,881 | 0.1832% |
| 1973 | #86 | 3,060 | 0.1963% |
| 1972 | #86 | 3,399 | 0.2096% |
| 1971 | #97 | 3,212 | 0.1816% |
| 1970 | #101 | 3,245 | 0.1746% |
| 1969 | #119 | 2,721 | 0.1522% |
| 1968 | #124 | 2,369 | 0.1363% |
| 1967 | #133 | 2,251 | 0.1291% |
| 1966 | #145 | 1,965 | 0.1102% |
| 1965 | #145 | 2,120 | 0.1140% |
| 1964 | #221 | 1,164 | 0.0584% |
| 1963 | #298 | 674 | 0.0332% |
| 1962 | #344 | 516 | 0.0249% |
| 1961 | #347 | 520 | 0.0245% |
| 1960 | #361 | 470 | 0.0220% |
| 1959 | #384 | 428 | 0.0201% |
| 1958 | #427 | 340 | 0.0160% |
| 1957 | #431 | 324 | 0.0150% |
| 1956 | #476 | 253 | 0.0120% |
| 1955 | #496 | 222 | 0.0108% |
| 1954 | #487 | 220 | 0.0108% |
| 1953 | #507 | 191 | 0.0097% |
| 1952 | #510 | 187 | 0.0096% |
| 1951 | #552 | 153 | 0.0081% |
| 1950 | #592 | 132 | 0.0074% |
| 1949 | #537 | 154 | 0.0087% |
| 1948 | #692 | 93 | 0.0053% |
| 1947 | #620 | 121 | 0.0066% |
| 1946 | #665 | 95 | 0.0058% |
| 1945 | #619 | 96 | 0.0071% |
| 1944 | #776 | 65 | 0.0048% |
| 1943 | #725 | 79 | 0.0055% |
| 1942 | #869 | 57 | 0.0041% |
| 1941 | #874 | 53 | 0.0043% |
| 1940 | #971 | 44 | 0.0038% |
| 1939 | #1,017 | 39 | 0.0035% |
| 1938 | #1,152 | 32 | 0.0029% |
| 1937 | #1,381 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1936 | #1,605 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1935 | #1,401 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1934 | #1,396 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1933 | #1,418 | 23 | 0.0023% |
| 1932 | #2,128 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1931 | #1,723 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1930 | #1,847 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1929 | #1,750 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1928 | #3,172 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #1,897 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1926 | #2,013 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1925 | #2,638 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1924 | #1,643 | 23 | 0.0020% |
| 1923 | #2,157 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1922 | #2,531 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1921 | #2,685 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #3,298 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #2,442 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1917 | #3,025 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1916 | #2,605 | 10 | 0.0011% |
| 1915 | #2,352 | 11 | 0.0013% |
| 1914 | #3,016 | 6 | 0.0009% |
| 1911 | #1,823 | 5 | 0.0022% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Erik
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Erik Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Erik's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Erik's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.