The story behind Erik
A spelling variant of Eric, or directly borrowed from modern Swedish Erik.
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Finnish entry
Variant of Eerik.
Slovak entry
Ultimately, from Old Norse Eiríkr.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): EH1 R IH0 K
Regional pronunciation variants
- Finnish: /ˈe(ː)rik/
- Finnish: [ˈe̞(ː)rik]
- Slovak: /ˈɛrik/
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Erik ranked #546 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Erik
Eerik
From Old Norse Eiríkr, literally meaning “ever ruler, eternal ruler”. Brought to Finland as an Old Swedish saint's name in the Middle Ages. Cognate to Swedish Erik and English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- same syllable count
- similar length
Érik
a male given name from Old Norse or the Germanic languages, variant of Éric
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aslak
From Norwegian Aslak; used as the Finnish rendering of the Northern Sami name Ásllat. From Old Norse Áslákr, from áss (“god”) + leikr (“play, sport”). Cognate with Old English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- same syllable count
- similar length
Erick
A male given name from the Germanic languages, a rare spelling variant of Eric that can also be explained as a form of Frederick.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- same syllable count
- similar length
Eero
a male given name from Old Norse, variant of Eerik, Eerikki, Erik, or Erkki, equivalent to English Eric
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Egill
From Old Norse Egill, from Proto-Germanic *Agilaz.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Erik
Bo
Either borrowed from modern Danish Bo or Swedish Bo, or a spelling variant of the male given name Beau. From Old Norse Búi (“dweller, long-time resident”), originally a…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Ai
From Japanese あい (Ai).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends I
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Åke
From Old Norse Áki, diminutive of Proto-Norse *ᚨᚾᚢᛉ (*anuʀ, “ancestor”), from Proto-Germanic *anô (as in the first part of the name Olaf). By folk etymology sometimes…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Erik
Ari
Of the first sense, derives directly from Hebrew: אֲרִי (arí, “lion”); compare Yiddish: לייב (leyb, “Leib”), English: Leo, Leon, French: Léo, Léon, Czech: Lev, Polish: Lew,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends I
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Bo
Either borrowed from modern Danish Bo or Swedish Bo, or a spelling variant of the male given name Beau. From Old Norse Búi (“dweller, long-time resident”), originally a…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends O
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Bond
* As an English occupational surname, from the noun bond, bondman, reinforced by Old Norse bóndi (“peasant, farmer”). Also as a variant of Band. * As a Swedish surname, variant…
- Gender
- neutral
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends D
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection