Fun Facts About the Name Erikson
- 367 babies named Erikson: U.S. records list 367 babies given the name Erikson from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Erikson Mean?
Erikson is a patronymic name meaning "son of Erik." It is an English-language form of the Scandinavian patronymic represented by Swedish Eriksson and Danish-Norwegian Eriksen. The personal name Erik comes from Old Norse Eiríkr, a compound of ei-, usually explained as "ever" or "always," and ríkr, "ruler" or "mighty." The traditional interpretation of Erik is therefore "ever ruler" or "eternal ruler." The first element of Eiríkr is not entirely certain; some analyses connect it with a word for "one" or "alone," but the second element, "ruler," is clear. In patronymic use, the meaning of Erikson is relational rather than a literal combination of those components: it identifies a son of a man named Erik. The suffix -son comes from Old Norse sonr, "son"; in the Old Norse patronymic phrase, the father's name took the genitive ending -s, as in Eiríks son. As a first name, Erikson is a transferred use of the surname.
Erikson Name History & Origins
The name belongs to the Scandinavian patronymic tradition. In medieval Scandinavia, a person was commonly identified by a given name plus the father's name and sonr ("son") or dóttir ("daughter"). A man named Eiríkr would have a son known as Eiríks son. The genitive -s in Eiríks is preserved in the Swedish form Eriksson, while Danish and Norwegian developed the related suffix -sen in Eriksen. Old Norse sources use Eiríkr as a personal name, and the patronymic phrase Eiríks son is the earlier structure behind the surname.
As Scandinavian societies moved from patronymic bynames to hereditary family names, forms such as Eriksson in Sweden and Eriksen in Denmark and Norway became fixed surnames. Erikson, with a single s, is an English-language spelling used by immigrants and their descendants; it can correspond to either Swedish or Danish-Norwegian origins depending on the family. In English-speaking countries the surname also came to be used occasionally as a given name, following the common pattern of transferring family names to first names.
How Popular is the Name Erikson?
Erikson has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2023. Its best rank was #4,650 in 1981.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,837 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #7,898 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #5,119 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #6,939 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #10,035 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #6,902 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #6,451 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #5,351 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #5,190 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #7,215 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #8,345 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #5,465 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #5,556 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2011 | #8,275 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #11,171 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #6,197 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #5,858 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #10,099 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #5,604 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2005 | #10,500 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #5,329 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #7,433 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #7,764 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #9,469 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #5,585 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #5,773 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #9,451 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #7,241 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #8,085 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #7,946 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #4,993 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #8,610 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1990 | #6,642 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #7,274 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #6,663 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #4,650 | 8 | 0.0004% |
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.
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How the Name Erikson 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 always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Erikson's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Erikson's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.