Erik
Boy name · #547 in 2025 · Uniqueness 63/100
Erik is currently the #547 boy name in the United States — 549 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #337, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,279 boys born in 2025 was named Erik.
The 114-year story
Erik first appears in the Social Security records in 1911, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 4,918 boys were named Erik — good for #64 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Erik per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Erik against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Erik in class?
Erik scores 63 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Erik is most common
Geography matters for names, and Erik is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Eriks were TX (97), CA (94), FL (23), CO (18), OH (18). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Erik
Statistically, parents drawn to Erik tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jaime, Mario, Derrick, Sean, and Shane.
JaimeMarioDerrickSeanShaneEricDerekDrew
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Erik | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 549 | #545 |
| 2024 | 645 | #476 |
| 2023 | 679 | #454 |
| 2022 | 716 | #432 |
| 2021 | 699 | #442 |
| 2020 | 708 | #422 |
| 2019 | 815 | #384 |
| 2018 | 855 | #376 |
| 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 | 1,795 | #213 |
| 2007 | 2,028 | #199 |
| 2006 | 2,131 | #189 |
| 2005 | 2,228 | #183 |
| 2004 | 2,365 | #172 |
| 2003 | 2,550 | #158 |
| 2002 | 2,460 | #156 |
| 2001 | 2,574 | #155 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Erik a popular boy name?
Erik ranked #547 among boys in 2025 with 549 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #337.
When was the name Erik most popular?
Erik peaked in 1980, when 4,918 American boys received the name (ranked #64 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Erik?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,279 newborn American boys was named Erik. It scores 63/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.