The first name Eric
A boy’s name meaning “always”, “eternal”, “ruler”.
Pronounced /ˈɛɹɪk/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Eric means “always”, “eternal”, “ruler”.
From Middle English Eric, from Old English Eoric, from Old Norse Eirríkr, Eiríkr (from ei (“always, eternal”, see aye) + ríkr (“ruler”)), or from Proto-Germanic *Aizarīkijaz (from *aizō (“honor”) + *rīkijaz (“ruler”)). Less likely from einn (“sole, alone”) + ríkr (“ruler”), from Proto-Germanic *rīks (“king”, cognate to Latin rēx and Gaulish *rīx). The name was in use in Anglo-Saxon Britain, reinforced by Scandinavian settlers before the Norman Conquest. Compare Danish Erik, German Erich. Possible doublet of Euric.
More names that mean king, noble.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 300 boys were named Eric, making it the 168th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 470 births (#124).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Eric with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Eric at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,256 boys born in the United States were named Eric, the 273rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 23,571 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Eric in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Eric
511 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Eric ClaptonBritish musician, born 1945
- Eric CantonaFrench footballer and actor (born 1966)
- Eric HobsbawmBritish academic historian and Marxist historiographer (1917–2012)
- Eric AbidalFrench footballer (born 1979)
- Eric Allin CornellAmerican physicist, professor (born 1961)
- Eric BanaAustralian actor, born 1968
- Eric IdleBritish comedian, actor and writer (born 1943)
- Eric DierEnglish association football player, born 1994
- Eric KandelAmerican neuropsychiatrist, born 1929
- Eric BetzigAmerican physicist, born 1960
- Eric DaneAmerican actor (1972–2026)
- Eric RobertsAmerican actor (born 1956)
Questions
- What does the name Eric mean?
- Eric means “always”, “eternal”, “ruler”.
- How popular is the name Eric?
- In 2025, 300 boys born in England and Wales were named Eric, ranking 168th. Its peak was 2018, with 470 births.
- Is Eric a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 893,184 US babies named Eric since 1880 were boys.
- When was Eric most popular?
- 1970 in the United States, when 23,571 babies were named Eric, its highest rank at 18th.
- How do you pronounce Eric?
- Eric is /ˈɛɹɪk/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Eric?
- Erick, Erik, Eriq and Erique.