Erykah
Erykah was the 13733rd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 757th with 279 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 6,657 places. More babies were named Erykah in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Erika) ever-ruler (feminine of Eric) · Old Norse, German, Swedish
- Rank in 2025
- #13,733 girls, down 3,953 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 6girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1997279 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,554babies recorded
What does the name Erykah mean?
Erykah is a spelling of Erika, pronounced the same way, so it shares Erika's meaning and origin.
Erika is a spelling of Erica, the feminine of Eric, or borrowed directly from Scandinavia, as Wiktionary notes. Eric comes from Old Norse Eiríkr, usually analyzed as ei- 'ever' or 'alone' plus ríkr 'ruler, powerful', though the first element is debated. In German and Scandinavian languages erika is also the word for heather (Latin erica). It was popular in the US in the 1970s to 1990s.
Eiríkr (Old Norse, “Eric”)ríkr (Old Norse, “ruler, powerful”)
How sure is this? Probable. The first element of Eiríkr is uncertain.
Related names: Erica, Eric, Rica.
See also: Scandinavian names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Erika', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Eric', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Erykah popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,733 | 6 |
| 2020 | #9,780 | 10 |
| 2010 | #4,226 | 35 |
| 2000 | #1,664 | 106 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Erykah, counting every spelling?
Erykah is a spelling of Erika, a name family that ranked #653 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #13,733 for Erykah on its own. Together these spellings went to 441 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erika | 213 | #1,109 | 1,078 |
| Erica | 156 | #1,399 | 871 |
| Ericka | 66 | #2,624 | 227 |
| Erykah | 6 | #13,733 | 74 |
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 Erykah?
6 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Erykah (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Erykah 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 1,368 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Erykah.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Erykah?
About 1,500 people born in the US named Erykah are alive today, with a median age of 26; half are between 18 and 28. That makes Erykah mostly worn by children and young adults.
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.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Erykah: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Erykah, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Erykah
What does Erykah mean?
Erykah is a spelling of Erika, which means “ever-ruler (feminine of Eric)” (Old Norse, German, Swedish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Erykah?
Erykah was the 13733rd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 757th with 279 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 6,657 places. More babies were named Erykah in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Erykah a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Erykah in the US.