Eric
Boy name · English · German · Old Norse · Scandinavian
Meaningeternal ruler · Old Norse
- US rank
- #273
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #13 in 1976
1,256 babies were named Eric in the US in 2025. It has dropped 75 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Eric you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Eric
Eric Clapton
British musician
Choose Eric and your child shares a first name with Eric Clapton, a British musician. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Eric, like who?” Eric Clapton's Wikipedia article is available in 100 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Eric Clapton on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,360 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Eric, 1,256 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Eric would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryEric has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Erics, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1976, when it ranked #13. Today it's #273, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowEric was 6.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 214 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 1,360.
- TrendEric has slipped 75 places over the last five years and now sits at #273. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedEric is most popular in Washington, D.C., where it ranks #168, followed by Mississippi (#189) and Louisiana (#198). It's in the top 1,000 in 39 states.
- MeaningIn Old Norse, Eric means “eternal ruler”. Our records link it to English, German and Old Norse roots.
- OriginEric is the #2 most popular Old Norse boy name in the US. That's out of 21 Old Norse boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Eric
Eric is a boy name of English, German and Old Norse origin meaning “eternal ruler”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-ric”. US birth records list Eric for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1976, when it ranked #13 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #273, with 1,256 babies.
Origin:English namesGerman namesOld Norse namesScandinavian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 111 | 8,979 boys |
| 1890s | 178 | 5,614 boys |
| 1900s | 196 | 5,113 boys |
| 1910s | 197 | 5,083 boys |
| 1920s | 184 | 5,439 boys |
| 1930s | 264 | 3,793 boys |
| 1940s | 970 | 1,031 boys |
| 1950s | 2,599 | 385 boys |
| 1960s | 8,075 | 124 boys |
| 1970s | 12,817 | 78 boys |
| 1980s | 11,088 | 90 boys |
| 1990s | 6,904 | 145 boys |
| 2000s | 3,492 | 286 boys |
| 2010s | 1,673 | 598 boys |
| 2020s | 914 | 1,094 boys |
Other spellings of Eric
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Eric
What does the name Eric mean?
Eric means “eternal ruler” in Old Norse.
What is the origin of the name Eric?
Eric has English, German, Old Norse, Scandinavian roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Eric a boy or girl name?
Eric is a boy name.
How popular is the name Eric?
Eric ranked #273 for US boys in 2025, given to 1,256 babies. Its best year was 1976 (#13).