Eric Boy

Popularity: #239 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationAIR-ik / /ˈɛrɪk/

Old Norse; Germanic

Meaning

Old Norse: eternal ruler; Germanic: ever powerful

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Eric has roots in Old Norse, where it was derived from the elements 'ei' meaning 'ever' and 'rikr' meaning 'ruler'. It has been a popular name in Scandinavian countries and has spread to other regions through Viking influence. Eric has been borne by various kings and notable figures throughout history, contributing to its enduring popularity.

Trend Summary

Eric has experienced fluctuating popularity in the United States, peaking in the 1970s and 1980s.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Erik
  • Eryk

International Variants

  • Erik (Swedish)
  • Éric (French)
  • Eryk (Polish)

Famous people named Eric

Eric Clapton is a renowned English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

Eric Idle is a British comedian, actor, and writer, best known for being a member of Monty Python.

Eric Schmidt served as the CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011 and has been influential in the tech industry.

Eric Bana is an Australian actor known for his roles in films such as 'Hulk' and 'Munich.'.

Fictional characters named Eric

Eric Cartman is a central character in the animated series 'South Park,' known for his controversial humor.

Sibling Suggestions

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Eric was first seen in the United States in 1880. Eric has ranked as high as #25 nationally, which occurred in 1970, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name Eric has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Eric (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 234
18%
TX 186
14%
FL 86
6%
NY 63
5%
PA 55
4%
OH 54
4%
WA 43
3%
AZ 39
3%
NC 36
3%
GA 36
3%
TN 34
3%
VA 32
2%
MI 32
2%
IL 30
2%
MA 29
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
188010
18819
18829
188311
188412
188516
188610
188711
188813
188921
189013
189118
189218
189313
189420
189520
189625
189730
189830
189917
190021
190125
190226
190334
190415
190523
190633
190722
190830
190933
191041
191135
191293
1913109
1914145
1915155
1916155
1917186
1918202
1919190
1920186
1921179
1922200
1923175
1924228
1925211
1926214
1927208
1928221
1929205
1930206
1931213
1932199
1933234
1934259
1935288
1936296
1937299
1938370
1939432
1940482
1941703
1942866
19431,170
19441,195
19451,351
19461,820
19472,345
19482,492
19492,768
19503,095
19513,664
19523,990
19533,929
19544,169
19554,659
19565,253
19576,620
19588,189
19599,729
196010,534
196111,114
196212,343
196313,277
196414,567
196516,830
196616,472
196717,831
196818,502
196920,746
197023,573
197122,964
197222,031
197320,802
197420,188
197519,796
197621,363
197720,745
197819,763
197920,269
198022,614
198120,715
198219,879
198320,356
198420,956
198520,843
198619,528
198720,203
198820,174
198918,978
199019,429
199118,051
199216,145
199314,548
199413,310
199512,486
199611,610
199710,317
19989,964
19999,382
20009,161
20018,559
20027,927
20037,787
20047,133
20056,697
20066,231
20075,959
20085,377
20094,645
20104,200
20113,750
20123,636
20133,265
20143,321
20153,045
20162,928
20172,782
20182,408
20192,204
20201,917
20211,789
20221,560
20231,544
20241,402