Baby Name Popularity Profile

Eric

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Eric.

✦ Eternal ruler 🌍 German royal traditional
National Rank (2025) #273
All-Time Peak Rank #13 Achieved 1973
Total U.S. Births 888,891 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1970s 23,571 births in 1970
💡 The Eric Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Eternal ruler
Language Origin German
Origin Type single
Derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, composed of the elements *ei* 'ever, always' and *ríkr* 'ruler, powerful'.
Common Nicknames
Rick Ricky
Alternative Spellings
Erik
Pronunciation: EH-rik
Themes & Categories
royal traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Eric

According to SSA data, Eric achieved its highest historical rank of #13 in 1973. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1970 with 23,571 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 58.8%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Eric across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -58.8% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 23,571 births in 1970
Years in Top 100 61 yrs
Years in Top 500 134 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 122
1890s: 204
1900s: 262
1910s: 1,311
1920s: 2,027
1930s: 2,796
1940s: 15,190
1950s: 53,295
1960s: 152,222
1970s: 211,481
1980s: 204,230
1990s: 135,244
2000s: 69,480
2010s: 31,550
2020s: 9,477

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Er-ic
Letter Count 4 letters
Spelling Complexity Easy
Length Percentile Longer than 1.4% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 1.4% of SSA names. Starts with E, a letter used by only 3.9% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Eric.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State District of Columbia
Top States District of Columbia, Alaska, Delaware, Vermont, New Hampshire
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
District of Columbia #183 6,443 1969 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 1,879 1970 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 2,628 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 2,114 1976 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 3,785 1970 Insufficient historical volume
California #212 114,747 1990 40.8% Decline
Hawaii Unranked 3,485 1970 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #288 12,007 1970 67.6% Decline
Nevada #372 3,635 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #315 40,857 1970 38.8% Decline
Maryland #276 16,063 1970 42.9% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 1,416 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #284 9,284 1976 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #419 20,316 1980 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico #245 5,479 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 3,652 1970 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #316 27,490 1988 18.2% Decline
Colorado #352 11,927 1980 47.1% Decline
Illinois #298 48,783 1971 41.0% Decline
Maine Unranked 4,355 1972 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #202 15,978 1970 10.9% Decline
Ohio #291 45,560 1970 33.3% Decline
Massachusetts #249 23,869 1971 40.0% Decline
New York #256 73,771 1970 36.1% Decline
Indiana #303 22,509 1971 39.5% Decline
Minnesota #530 17,163 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #236 3,612 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #273 48,128 1970 42.7% Decline
Arizona #325 10,955 1987 36.8% Decline
Florida #286 30,583 1988 48.1% Decline
Iowa #354 11,094 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #318 6,645 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #336 8,483 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #332 17,828 1971 25.9% Decline
Louisiana #200 14,402 1984 21.2% Decline
Nebraska #308 5,763 1976 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 2,646 1976 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #263 17,308 1971 29.8% Decline
South Dakota Unranked 2,568 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 2,281 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #245 56,443 1984 32.3% Decline
Georgia #273 18,494 1971 22.4% Decline
North Carolina #289 18,458 1972 27.1% Decline
Tennessee #300 13,699 1976 40.8% Decline
West Virginia Unranked 5,982 1976 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #361 10,734 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #431 11,160 1972 61.3% Decline
South Carolina #258 8,533 1973 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #359 7,985 1980 50.0% Decline
Arkansas #291 6,089 1976 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #191 7,060 1974 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

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