Eric - Name Meaning and Origin

The boy's name Eric \e-ric\ is pronounced AIR-ik. It is of Scandinavian and Old Norse origin, and its meaning is "complete ruler". The original form is Erik, which has been borne by nine Danish kings. Scandinavian legend relates that the Viking sea rover Ericson (son of Eric the Red) landed on the shores of America 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The name was not widely used among English-speaking people until 19th-century British fiction writers Frederic Farrar (in "Eric", or "Little by Little") and H. Rider Haggard (in "Eric Brighteyes") used it in popular literature. Eriq is the French spelling; Erich is a popular German form. Author Erich Segal; musician Eric Clapton; skater Eric Heiden; actors Eriq La Salle, Eric McCormack.

Eric has 19 variant forms: Aeric, Aerick, Aerric, Aerrick, Aerricko, Aric, Arreck, Arric, Arrick, Erek, Erich, Erick, Erik, Eriq, Erix, Errick, Eryk, Rick and Rikky.

For more information, see also the related name Frederick.

Baby names that sound like Eric are Erric and Erico.

Eric is a very popular male first name and a common surname (source: 1990 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the boy's name Eric. Click here to compare Eric with related baby names.