Erik
A spelling variant of Eric, or directly borrowed from modern Swedish Erik.
Every Erik since 1911 — 158,126 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Erik
Erik is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #546 in 2025 with 549 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1911, 158,126 American babies have been named Erik. Its peak came in 1980, when 4,959 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Erik stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Erik year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 549 | #546 |
| 2024 | — | — | 645 | #476 |
| 2023 | — | — | 679 | #454 |
| 2022 | — | — | 716 | #432 |
| 2021 | — | — | 699 | #442 |
| 2020 | — | — | 708 | #422 |
| 2019 | — | — | 815 | #384 |
| 2018 | — | — | 855 | #377 |
| 2017 | — | — | 901 | #368 |
| 2016 | — | — | 948 | #355 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,019 | #337 |
| 2014 | — | — | 1,037 | #329 |
| 2013 | — | — | 1,105 | #311 |
| 2012 | — | — | 1,223 | #289 |
| 2011 | — | — | 1,266 | #277 |
| 2010 | — | — | 1,337 | #256 |
| 2009 | — | — | 1,555 | #233 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,306 | 1,795 | #213 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,112 | 2,028 | #199 |
| 2006 | — | — | 2,131 | #189 |
| 2005 | 5 | #17,301 | 2,228 | #183 |
| 2004 | 8 | #11,966 | 2,365 | #172 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16,556 | 2,550 | #158 |
| 2002 | — | — | 2,460 | #156 |
| 2001 | — | — | 2,574 | #155 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,385 | 2,722 | #143 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,679 | 3,432 | #111 |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,473 | 3,956 | #96 |
| 1985 | 26 | #3,348 | 3,372 | #87 |
| 1980 | 41 | #2,358 | 4,918 | #64 |
| 1975 | 16 | #3,998 | 2,855 | #87 |
| 1970 | 17 | #3,627 | 3,245 | #101 |
| 1965 | 14 | #3,455 | 2,117 | #145 |
| 1960 | — | — | 472 | #360 |
| 1955 | — | — | 222 | #495 |
| 1950 | — | — | 132 | #592 |
| 1945 | — | — | 96 | #619 |
| 1940 | — | — | 44 | #971 |
| 1935 | — | — | 24 | #1,401 |
| 1930 | — | — | 17 | #1,847 |
| 1925 | — | — | 11 | #2,638 |
| 1920 | — | — | 8 | #3,298 |
| 1915 | — | — | 11 | #2,352 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Erik
- Erik Erikson Psychologist · 1902–1994
- Erik the Red Explorer · 950–1003
- Erik Satie Composer · 1866–1925
- Erik Axel Karlfeldt Writer · 1864–1931
- Erik Bruhn Actor · 1928–1986
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Erik mean?
A spelling variant of Eric, or directly borrowed from modern Swedish Erik.
How popular is the name Erik in 2025?
Erik ranked #546 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 549 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Erik?
158,126 babies have been named Erik in the United States since 1911, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Erik most popular?
Erik peaked in 1980, when 4,959 newborns received the name.
Is Erik a boy or girl name?
Erik is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Erik rising or falling?
Erik is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Erik?
Well-known people named Erik include Erik Erikson (psychologist), Erik the Red (explorer), Erik Satie (composer).