Eric

Last seen for girls in 2016 at #16,215 · #273 for boys in 2025, 1,256 births
Given to boys 99.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1976 · 21,359 births
Debut · boys
10 births
In top 100 · boys
61 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
888,891
since 1880

Eric over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201979peak #13, 1976boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#2731,256
2024—#2521,406
2023—#2271,547
2022—#2291,561
2021—#2131,790
2020—#1981,917
2019—#1762,205
2018—#1602,410
2017—#1432,782
2016#16,2155#1422,930
2015#16,4195#1383,046
2014#16,5135#1223,323
2013#10,23510#1183,265
2012—#1073,637
2011—#1043,751
2010#13,4487#954,201
2009#13,7047#954,646
2008#12,5798#865,377
2007#10,81810#835,959
2006#9,90111#776,232
2005#8,88312#666,697
2004#4,60129#617,133
2003#6,88516#567,787
2002#6,39217#527,928
2001#7,72413#448,559
2000#4,52726#429,162
1999#4,87022#399,382
1998#4,95521#399,964
1997#3,16137#3510,317
1996#3,23736#3511,611
1995#3,02238#3212,485
1994#2,41253#3013,311
1993#2,53349#2914,548
1992#2,31856#2616,145
1991#1,91373#2518,051
1990#1,81379#2419,430
1989#1,339115#2118,977
1988#996165#1920,175
1987#993158#2120,203
1986#1,018150#2219,528
1985#950163#2120,844
1984#974148#2220,955
1983#954154#2020,347
1982#1,053137#2019,878
1981#1,060134#1720,712
1980#966153#1622,611
1979#1,010141#1720,268
1978#939150#1619,761
1977#1,060124#1720,745
1976#956133#1321,359
1975#990124#1319,793
1974#908139#1320,193
1973#934130#1320,802
1972#1,000118#1622,027
1971#938137#1822,962
1970#891148#1823,571
1969#940128#2120,747
1968#1,23179#2218,501
1967#1,09790#2317,830
1966#1,18981#2516,475
1965#1,32368#2516,826
1964#1,49757#3214,567
1963#1,75443#3113,278
1962#1,78241#3312,348
1961#1,74243#3811,111
1960#2,30726#4410,539
1959#1,88135#469,726
1958#2,58120#508,190
1957#2,65119#606,621
1956#3,32113#795,252
1955#4,7407#854,660
1954#4,6557#894,169
1953#3,26912#893,929
1952#2,67116#883,989
1951#3,28411#933,664
1950#3,6629#983,095
1949#5,2445#1052,768
1948#5,2435#1142,491
1947#5,2955#1222,344
1946—#1341,820
1945—#1531,351
1944—#1581,195
1943—#1611,170
1942#3,7387#182866
1941—#199703
1940—#249482
1939—#258432
1938—#286370
1937—#309299
1936—#310296
1935—#320288
1934—#340259
1933—#351234
1932—#399199
1931—#385213
1930—#408206
1929—#406205
1928—#403221
1927—#419208
1926—#409214
1925—#410211
1924—#406228
1923—#463175
1922—#424200
1921—#458179
1920—#445186
1919—#426190
1918—#412202
1917—#413186
1916—#447155
1915—#436155
1914—#394145
1913—#413109
1912—#39993
1911—#49735
1910—#42141
1909—#43633
1908—#43830
1907—#49522
1906—#36333
1905—#46323
1904—#58715
1903—#32234
1902—#38826
1901—#37125
1900—#51821
1899—#45717
1898—#35030
1897—#33930
1896—#38825
1895—#43720
1894—#41920
1893—#53813
1892—#45818
1891—#41118
1890—#53313
1889—#38821
1888—#55413
1887—#54411
1886—#60510
1885—#46216
1884—#54712
1883—#55611
1882—#6529
1881—#5959
1880—#60010
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Eric was already there! It came in at #600, and was given to 10 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1884, when fewer than 13 boys a year got the name.

Where Eric is popular in 1979

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #27 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 91 boysAKMaine: #21 for boys · 111 births · 1 in 64 boysMEVermont: #12 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 50 boysVTNew Hampshire: #16 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 56 boysNHWashington: #24 for boys · 332 births · 1 in 89 boysWAIdaho: #19 for boys · 120 births · 1 in 70 boysIDMontana: #18 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 72 boysMTNorth Dakota: #18 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 65 boysNDMinnesota: #16 for boys · 540 births · 1 in 58 boysMNIllinois: #15 for boys · 1,235 births · 1 in 68 boysILWisconsin: #12 for boys · 699 births · 1 in 49 boysWIMichigan: #16 for boys · 1,011 births · 1 in 66 boysMINew York: #16 for boys · 1,361 births · 1 in 82 boysNYMassachusetts: #18 for boys · 524 births · 1 in 65 boysMARhode Island: #24 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 73 boysRIOregon: #29 for boys · 214 births · 1 in 90 boysORNevada: #19 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 72 boysNVWyoming: #19 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 70 boysWYSouth Dakota: #14 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 52 boysSDIowa: #20 for boys · 358 births · 1 in 62 boysIAIndiana: #19 for boys · 609 births · 1 in 67 boysINOhio: #20 for boys · 1,035 births · 1 in 78 boysOHPennsylvania: #18 for boys · 1,024 births · 1 in 74 boysPANew Jersey: #22 for boys · 450 births · 1 in 94 boysNJConnecticut: #20 for boys · 231 births · 1 in 75 boysCTCalifornia: #15 for boys · 2,080 births · 1 in 86 boysCAUtah: #32 for boys · 183 births · 1 in 104 boysUTColorado: #18 for boys · 278 births · 1 in 78 boysCONebraska: #18 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 62 boysNEMissouri: #20 for boys · 480 births · 1 in 77 boysMOKentucky: #20 for boys · 327 births · 1 in 86 boysKYWest Virginia: #16 for boys · 193 births · 1 in 72 boysWVVirginia: #24 for boys · 339 births · 1 in 98 boysVAMaryland: #18 for boys · 299 births · 1 in 76 boysMDDelaware: #20 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 70 boysDEArizona: #21 for boys · 227 births · 1 in 92 boysAZNew Mexico: #12 for boys · 165 births · 1 in 62 boysNMKansas: #19 for boys · 225 births · 1 in 75 boysKSArkansas: #16 for boys · 199 births · 1 in 80 boysARTennessee: #20 for boys · 348 births · 1 in 94 boysTNNorth Carolina: #24 for boys · 363 births · 1 in 103 boysNCSouth Carolina: #23 for boys · 185 births · 1 in 114 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #17 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 76 boysDCOklahoma: #20 for boys · 244 births · 1 in 87 boysOKLouisiana: #23 for boys · 323 births · 1 in 108 boysLAMississippi: #17 for boys · 201 births · 1 in 94 boysMSAlabama: #20 for boys · 277 births · 1 in 97 boysALGeorgia: #23 for boys · 382 births · 1 in 103 boysGAHawaii: #30 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 115 boysHITexas: #15 for boys · 1,420 births · 1 in 87 boysTXFlorida: #18 for boys · 606 births · 1 in 90 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Wisconsin#12 · 1 in 49
  2. Vermont#12 · 1 in 50
  3. New Mexico#12 · 1 in 62
  4. South Dakota#14 · 1 in 52
  5. Illinois#15 · 1 in 68

Best ever in a state: #7 in Vermont, 1976.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Mexico#121651 in 62
Vermont#12611 in 50
Wisconsin#126991 in 49
South Dakota#141021 in 52
California#152,0801 in 86
Illinois#151,2351 in 68
Texas#151,4201 in 87
Arkansas#161991 in 80
Michigan#161,0111 in 66
Minnesota#165401 in 58
New Hampshire#161021 in 56
New York#161,3611 in 82
West Virginia#161931 in 72
District of Columbia#171041 in 76
Mississippi#172011 in 94
Colorado#182781 in 78
Florida#186061 in 90
Maryland#182991 in 76
Massachusetts#185241 in 65
Montana#18811 in 72
Nebraska#181941 in 62
North Dakota#18851 in 65
Pennsylvania#181,0241 in 74
Idaho#191201 in 70
Indiana#196091 in 67
Kansas#192251 in 75
Nevada#19691 in 72
Wyoming#19511 in 70
Alabama#202771 in 97
Connecticut#202311 in 75
Delaware#20531 in 70
Iowa#203581 in 62
Kentucky#203271 in 86
Missouri#204801 in 77
Ohio#201,0351 in 78
Oklahoma#202441 in 87
Tennessee#203481 in 94
Arizona#212271 in 92
Maine#211111 in 64
New Jersey#224501 in 94
Georgia#233821 in 103
Louisiana#233231 in 108
South Carolina#231851 in 114
North Carolina#243631 in 103
Rhode Island#24731 in 73
Virginia#243391 in 98
Washington#243321 in 89
Alaska#27391 in 91
Oregon#292141 in 90
Hawaii#30561 in 115
Utah#321831 in 104

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Eric
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 21 spots since 2024 (#252 → #273)
  • 75 spots since 2020 (#198 → #273)
  • 135 spots since 2015 (#138 → #273)
  • Biggest jump: 166 spots in 1889 (#554 → #388)
  • Biggest drop: 265 spots in 1904 (#322 → #587)
Rise & fade · boys
96 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1976 at #13 (21,359 births)
  • Births halved by 1997, 21 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 61 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 61 yrs · run 1950–2010
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 73
  • Highest: 1 in 73 boys born in 1976 were named Eric (1.4%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,360 boys born in 2025 (0.07%)
Era · boys
The 1970s
  • 23.8% of all boys named Eric (211,481) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s122#388 (1889)#550
1890s204#339 (1897)#433
1900s262#322 (1903)#438
1910s1,311#394 (1914)#426
1920s2,027#403 (1928)#424
1930s2,796#258 (1939)#337
1940s15,190#105 (1949)#158
1950s53,295#46 (1959)#78
1960s152,222#21 (1969)#29
1970s211,481#13 (1976)#15
1980s204,230#16 (1980)#20
1990s135,244#24 (1990)#31
2000s69,480#42 (2000)#66
2010s31,550#95 (2010)#131
2020s9,477#198 (2020)#232

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Eric in 1979

girls
#1,010
141 births · 1 in 11,385 girls
boys
#17
20,268 births · 1 in 85 boys

Top girls' names in 1979

  1. #1Jennifer56,712
  2. #2Melissa34,050
  3. #3Amanda31,924
  4. #4Jessica27,780
  5. #5Amy21,609
  6. #6Sarah21,015
  7. #7Heather20,834
  8. #8Angela20,256
  9. #9Nicole19,510
  10. #10Michelle19,266
  11. #1,010Eric141

Top boys' names in 1979

  1. #1Michael67,713
  2. #2Christopher50,659
  3. #3Jason50,369
  4. #4David42,053
  5. #5James39,351
  6. #6Matthew35,621
  7. #7John35,410
  8. #8Robert34,015
  9. #9Joshua31,120
  10. #10Brian28,659
  11. #17Eric20,268
More about 1979

girls

1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 11,385 of them was named Eric, which outranked 91.6% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Eric
  1. #1,006Chantelle142
  2. #1,006Francisca142
  3. #1,006Latesha142
  4. #1,010Eric141
  5. #1,010Natosha141
  6. #1,012Lashunda140
  7. #1,012Nicholas140
  8. #1,012Reyna140

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,593Breanne#2,125 → #532
  2. ↑ 1,527Loni#2,516 → #989
  3. ↑ 1,287Renata#2,012 → #725
  4. ↑ 985Ashanti#1,862 → #877
  5. ↑ 896Nicolette#1,581 → #685
Fallers
  1. ↓ 392Christel#762 → #1,154
  2. ↓ 312Kenisha#557 → #869
  3. ↓ 297Ariane#887 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 285Imelda#947 → #1,232
  5. ↓ 252Farrah#539 → #791

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,721,536 boys got a published name in 1979; 1 in 85 of them was named Eric, which outranked 99.8% of the 7,071 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Eric
  1. #14Ryan23,212
  2. #15Nicholas21,344
  3. #16Jeremy21,005
  4. #17Eric20,268
  5. #18Timothy19,077
  6. #19Kevin18,733
  7. #20Andrew18,618
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,228Tyrel#2,134 → #906
  2. ↑ 471Jace#1,186 → #715
  3. ↑ 387Chaz#1,371 → #984
  4. ↑ 311Tyrell#1,051 → #740
  5. ↑ 308Frederic#1,203 → #895
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,230Dequan#927 → #2,157
  2. ↓ 641Rahsaan#869 → #1,510
  3. ↓ 446Chip#989 → #1,435
  4. ↓ 308Rashaun#996 → #1,304
  5. ↓ 307Kenya#749 → #1,056

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1979 →