Eryk

A boy's name of Old Norse origin with 1,046 recorded U.S. births.

Boy's name#6936 in 2024Declining

Meaning & Origin

a male given name, equivalent to English Eric

Eryk is a boy's baby name of Old Norse origin, the Polish form of Eric, from the Old Norse Eiríkr, composed of ei (ever, always) and ríkr (ruler, king), meaning 'eternal ruler' or 'ever-powerful.'

With over 1,046 recorded births, Eryk is the Polish transliteration of Eric — used in Poland as the standard form of the Scandinavian name. The Norse kings who bore this name — Eric the Red, who colonized Greenland around 985 AD, and his son Leif Eriksson, who reached North America around 1000 AD — gave the name its most adventurous historical associations. As Eryk, it carries that heritage in its distinctly Polish written form.

EtymologyShow more

Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Eryk is rooted in the Old Norse tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1976 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.

Eryk’s 1,046 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.

At a Glance

#6936

Current Rank

1,046

Total births

Since 1976

2001

Peak year

51 births

Compare Eryk with another name

Popularity Over Time

Eryk was #3309 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #6936, but its charm endures.

First appeared: 1976Peak: 2001 (51 births)Current: #6936

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Eryk
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	64	#6819	▼
2010s	233	#4575	▼
2000s	383	#2858	▲
1990s	255	#3085	▲
1980s	94	#4979	▲
1970s	17	#5619	—

The Story of Eryk

A Gen Z name

Peaking in 2001, Eryk is a name that defines a generation. Boys named Eryk are most likely born between 1991 and 2011.

How rare is Eryk?

Only about 1 in every 300,000 babies born in 2024 was named Eryk — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1976, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 2000s with 383 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Eryk by the numbers

Would fill 22 school buses
Meeting one Eryk per day would take 2.9 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(48 years, 1976–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Eryk
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	12	#6936	-3 (-20.0%)
2023	15	#6019	+7 (87.5%)
2022	8	#9235	-6 (-42.9%)
2021	14	#6116	-1 (-6.7%)
2020	15	#5788	+5 (50.0%)
2019	10	#7806	-10 (-50.0%)
2018	20	#4796	-7 (-25.9%)
2017	27	#3912	+10 (58.8%)
2016	17	#5378	-4 (-19.0%)
2015	21	#4590	-1 (-4.5%)
2014	22	#4433	0
2013	22	#4370	-5 (-18.5%)
2012	27	#3828	-3 (-10.0%)
2011	30	#3542	-7 (-18.9%)
2010	37	#3095	+8 (27.6%)
2009	29	#3660	-2 (-6.5%)
2008	31	#3508	-19 (-38.0%)
2007	50	#2513	+6 (13.6%)
2006	44	#2671	+11 (33.3%)
2005	33	#3109	+4 (13.8%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eryk a boy's or girl's name?

Eryk is primarily a boy's name.

When was Eryk most popular?

Eryk reached its peak popularity in 2001 with 51 births that year. It is currently ranked #6936 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Eryk?

Eryk is currently ranked #6936 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 1,046 babies since 1976.

Explore More

By Length4-letter names By OriginOld Norse names By EndingNames in -k TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1976–2024