Eric
Eric is a boy's name of Norse origin.
Meaning
Always ruler or eternal king.
Origin and history
Eric is derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, which combines elements meaning 'ever' or 'always' and 'ruler'. It was introduced to England by Scandinavian settlers and became popular across the Western world. In the United States, it has been a consistently classic male name throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Popularity in the United States
888,891 babies in the United States have been named Eric since 1880. It ranks #35 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #225.
States where it is most popular
- CA (12.9 %)
- NY (8.3 %)
- TX (6.4 %)
- IL (5.5 %)
- PA (5.4 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 122 |
| 1890-1900 | 204 |
| 1900-1910 | 262 |
| 1910-1920 | 1,311 |
| 1920-1930 | 2,027 |
| 1930-1940 | 2,796 |
| 1940-1950 | 15,190 |
| 1950-1960 | 53,295 |
| 1960-1970 | 152,222 |
| 1970-1980 | 211,481 |
| 1980-1990 | 204,230 |
| 1990-2000 | 135,244 |
| 2000-2010 | 69,480 |
| 2010-2019 | 31,550 |
| 2020-2029 | 9,477 |
Famous people named Eric
- Eric Clapton: Musician, Guitarist
- Eric Bana: Actor
- Eric Idle: Comedian, Actor
Nicknames
Rick, Ricky
Fun facts
- The name was borne by several medieval Scandinavian kings, including Eric the Red, the famous Norse explorer.
- Eric has been one of the top masculine names in the United States for over a century, accumulating nearly 900,000 births since 1880.