Boy name · Old Norse
Éric
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: ever rulerÉric is a boy's name that comes from Old Norse and means "ever ruler". It is used in French.
- Meaning
- Ever ruler
- Origin
- Old Norse
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- ay-REEK (French)
Meaning and origin of Éric
As a boy's name, Éric comes from Old Norse and means "ever ruler". It is used in French.
In French, say ay-REEK. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Éric on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Éric on 1 list.
“Ever ruler; Old Norse, often written Eric in France. Footballer Cantona bears it. Say ay-REEK”
From French boy names, common French men's names
How popular is Éric?
- US rank in 2025
- #273
- 1,256 babies, 735 per million boys
- Best rank
- #13 in 1973
- Most babies: 23,571 in 1970
- Babies since 1880
- At least 888,891
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 111 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 179 per million |
| 1900s | 193 per million |
| 1910s | 196 per million |
| 1920s | 184 per million |
| 1930s | 265 per million |
| 1940s | 1,020 per million |
| 1950s | 2,636 per million |
| 1960s | 7,902 per million |
| 1970s | 12,804 per million |
| 1980s | 11,064 per million |
| 1990s | 6,943 per million |
| 2000s | 3,481 per million |
| 2010s | 1,678 per million |
| 2020s | 914 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #142 | #143 | #160 | #176 | #198 | #213 | #229 | #227 | #252 | #273 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Éric
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- ErickEver ruler (Old Norse, boy)
Names spelled like Éric
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- RicardaBrave ruler (Germanic, girl)
- AlaricRuler of all (Germanic, boy)
- HenryHome ruler (Germanic, boy)
- RichardBrave ruler (Germanic, boy)
- AubreyElf ruler (Germanic, unisex)
- DerekRuler of the people (Germanic, boy)
- DirkRuler of the people (Germanic, boy)
- DonalWorld ruler (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DonaldWorld ruler (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- EricaEver ruler (Old Norse, girl)
- ErikaEternal ruler (Old Norse, girl)
- FedericoPeaceful ruler (Germanic, boy)
- FrederickPeaceful ruler (Germanic, boy)
- HaraldArmy ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- HarrisSon of Harry, home ruler (Germanic, boy)
Middle names for Éric
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old Norse
- SvenBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- BjörnA bear (Old Norse, boy)
- HolgerIsland spear (Old Norse, boy)
- IngolfIng's wolf (Old Norse, boy)
- IvorYew warrior (Old Norse, boy)
- OdinFrenzy, inspiration (Old Norse, boy)
- RaghnallCounsel ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- RonaldCounsel ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- SigmundVictory protection (Old Norse, boy)
- SweynBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- ThorThunder (Old Norse, boy)
- TorbenThor's bear (Old Norse, boy)
- TorstenThor's stone (Old Norse, boy)
- UlfA wolf (Old Norse, boy)
- AdalsteinNoble stone (Old Norse, boy)
- ÆgirThe sea (Old Norse, boy)
- AlfElf (Old Norse, boy)
- AlfrikElf ruler (Old Norse, boy)
Éric: common questions
What does the name Éric mean?
Éric comes from Old Norse and means "ever ruler".
Is Éric a boy or girl name?
Éric is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Éric come from?
Éric comes from Old Norse and means "ever ruler". Today it is used in French.
How do you pronounce Éric?
In French, say ay-REEK. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Éric?
Éric ranked #273 in the US in 2025, with 1,256 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Éric?
Forms of Éric with the same meaning and origin include Erick (Spanish).
What middle names go with Éric?
Middle names that flow well with Éric include Alistair, Bradley, Dennis, Forest and Harrison. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.