Eric
Eric was the 273rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,256 babies. Its best year was 1973, when it ranked 13th; the most babies were born in 1970 (23,571). Over the last ten years it has moved down 135 places. More babies were named Eric in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning eternal ruler (probably) · Old Norse
Say it AIR-ik /ˈɛrɪk/
- Rank in 2025
- #273 boys, down 75 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,256boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 197023,571 babies
- Total since 1880
- 893,184babies recorded
What does the name Eric mean?
Eric comes from the Old Norse name Eiríkr. Its second part is clearly rikr, 'ruler'. The first part is less certain: Wiktionary prefers ei, 'always, ever', or an older word for 'honor', and Wikipedia mentions a Proto-Norse word meaning 'one, alone'. Wiktionary notes that it reached English early, as Old English Eoric. Erik is the usual Scandinavian spelling, and Erich the German.
Eiríkr (Old Norse, “Eric”)ríkr (Old Norse, “ruler”)ei (Old Norse, “always, ever (one reading)”)
How sure is this? Probable. 'Ruler' is certain; the first element ('ever', 'honor' or 'one') is debated.
Related names: Erik, Erick, Erich, Eiríkur, Erica.
See also: Scandinavian names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Eric', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Eric', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Eric
The usual nicknames for Eric are Rick and Ricky. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Eric in the last five years, 19 were named Ricky, against 11 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rick · also for Richard, Derek, Ricardo | Traditional | #3,077 | 216 |
| Ricky · also for Richard, Ricardo, Rick | Traditional | #949 | 1,435 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Erics go by each one.
Eric popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 4,293 since 1942.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #273 | 1,256 |
| 2020 | #198 | 1,917 |
| 2010 | #95 | 4,201 |
| 2000 | #42 | 9,162 |
| 1990 | #24 | 19,430 |
| 1980 | #16 | 22,611 |
| 1970 | #18 | 23,571 |
| 1960 | #44 | 10,539 |
| 1950 | #98 | 3,095 |
| 1940 | #249 | 482 |
| 1930 | #408 | 206 |
| 1920 | #445 | 186 |
| 1910 | #424 | 41 |
| 1900 | #520 | 21 |
| 1890 | #545 | 13 |
| 1880 | #614 | 10 |
How popular is Eric, counting every spelling?
Eric is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #141 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #273 for Eric on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,705 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric | 1,256 | #273 | 7,560 |
| Erick | 879 | #366 | 5,117 |
| Erik | 549 | #546 | 3,288 |
| Erich | 15 | #5,937 | 87 |
| Eryk | 6 | #11,074 | 55 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Eric?
1,256 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Eric (0.35 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Eric born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 7 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Eric.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Eric?
About 788,700 people born in the US named Eric are alive today, with a median age of 45; half are between 34 and 55. That makes Eric mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Eric by state
How common Eric was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (2.1×), Delaware (2.0×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Maine, South Dakota, Montana.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Eric: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Eric, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Eric · Sibling names for Eric
Questions about the name Eric
What does Eric mean?
Eric means “eternal ruler (probably)” (Old Norse origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Eric?
Eric was the 273rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,256 babies. Its best year was 1973, when it ranked 13th; the most babies were born in 1970 (23,571). Over the last ten years it has moved down 135 places. More babies were named Eric in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Eric a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Eric in the US.
Where is Eric most popular?
In 2021–2025, Eric was most common in New Mexico (1.85 per 1,000 boys), followed by Delaware and California.