Boy
Norse
2 syllables
Eric
EHR-ik
/ˈɛr.ɪk/
"Eternal ruler" — a Viking king's name of enduring power
Eric comes from the Old Norse Eirikr, meaning eternal ruler or ever powerful, combining ei (ever, eternal) and rikr (ruler, power). It was the name of legendary Viking kings — most famously Erik the Red, the Norse explorer who colonized Greenland around 985 AD. Eric was enormously popular in the US during the 1970s and 80s and remains widely recognized as a solid, confident classic.
Quick Facts
Letters4
SyllablesEr · ic
GenderBoy
OriginNorse
Root WordEirikr
MeaningEternal ruler, ever powerful
PopularityCommon
Peak Year1975
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayMay 18
Nicknames
RickRicky
About the Name Eric
Eric means eternal ruler or ever powerful, from the Old Norse Eirikr. It combines ei (ever, eternal) and rikr (ruler, lord).
Yes, Eric is fundamentally Norse in origin. It was a royal name in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway for centuries before spreading throughout Europe.
Eric was most popular in the 1970s and has declined since, but remains in the top 350 in the US. It is still widely recognized as a solid, no-fuss masculine name.
Eric James, Eric Michael, Eric Thomas, and Eric Allen are all strong and classic combinations.
Erics are often described as confident, reliable, and straightforward — the name has a no-nonsense strength that reflects its Viking royal origins.
Erik is the original Norse and Scandinavian spelling. Eric is the anglicized form most common in English-speaking countries. Both are correct.
Personality of Eric
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Eric
Creativity
72%
Elegance
72%
Independence
82%
Intelligence
80%
Strength
88%
Warmth
78%
Famous People Named Eric
E
Eric Clapton
British rock guitarist, Cream and Slowhand
E
Erik the Red
Norse explorer who discovered and colonized Greenland around 985 AD
E
Eric Carle
American author and illustrator, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Middle Names for Eric
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Eric
Eric James
Eric Michael
Eric Thomas
Eric Allen
Eric Lee
Eric Scott
Eric David
Eric William
Eric John
Eric Anthony
Names Similar to Eric
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Eric
985 AD
Erik the Red establishes the first Norse settlement in Greenland
1000 AD
Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, reaches North America — the first European explorer
1950
Eric enters the US top 100 as Scandinavian names gain popularity
1975
Eric reaches its peak US popularity at rank 14
Numerology & Symbolism of Eric
8
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
5
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Aries
5
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Viking Red
💎
Lucky Stone
Red Garnet
🌸
Lucky Flower
Red Clover
Eric Around the World
How Eric is written in different languages and scripts
إريك
Arabic
エリック
Japanese
Эрик
Russian
에릭
Korean
埃里克
Chinese
Έρικ
Greek
एरिक
Hindi
אֵרִיק
Hebrew
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